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rary 


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Employment 
Methods 


By 

NATHAN  W.    SHEFFERMAN 

Consultant  in  Personnel  and  Employment  Management;  Formerly  Per- 
sonnel Director  for  Lycoming  Foundry  and  Machine  Company;  Baltimore 
Copper   Smelting   and   Rolling  Company;    and    C.  F.  Sauer  Company. 


»    .   •»      J        5 


I       »         a   •■*» 


NEW  YORK 
THE  RONALD  PRESS  COMPANY 

1920 


Copyright,  1920,  by 
The  Ronald  Press  Company 


All  Rights  Reserved 


V 


PREFACE 

The  pressing  need  of  business  today  is  increased  produc- 
tion. It  is  imperative  that  every  worker  be  enabled  to  do 
his  best,  to  work  up  to  his  maximum  of  producing  power. 
Hardly  anything  more  seriously  hampers  production,  under 
the  conditions  of  modern  industry,  than  the  wastes  from  mis- 
directed effort — men  working  listlessly  because  they  are  in 
the  wrong  job,  and  men  shifting  needlessly  from  one  job  to 
another. 

During  the  war,  when  there  was  an  actual  shortage  of 
men,  it  became  necessary  as  a  war  measure  to  make  the  most 
of  every  man  available.  Every  means  was  tried  to  stabilize 
the  labor  turnover.  In  the  emergency,  scientific  employment 
methods  that  had  formerly  been  treated  with  skepticism — or 
at  least  with  adverse  criticism — were  brought  into  operation 
and  given  systematic  trial.  Workers  were  selected  and  as- 
signed to  particular  jobs  by  these  new  scientific  methods.  The 
results  were  so  gratifying  that  old  opinions  and  prejudices 
were  demolished.  Industrial  commanders  saw  the  necessity 
for  holding  fast  to  the  new  methods  and  applying  what  is 
good  in  them  to  the  conditions — even  more  baffling  in  some 
ways — of  the  period  of  readjustment.  It  has  beconie,  clear 
that  employment  management  based  on  right  principles,  is 
sound  and  has  come  to  stay. 

Much  has  been  written  in  recent  months  on  the  subject 
of  employment  management.  All  who  have  had  experience 
with  the  work  have  been  encouraged  to  make  public  the  results 
of  their  experience  and  the  views  to  which  it  has  led  them. 
The  literature  of  the  subject,  particularly  in  the  form  of 
addresses,    reports,    and    magazine    articles,    has    multiplied 

iii 

434443 


iv  PREFACE 

rapidly.  The  reason  for  the  present  book  indeed,  is  precisely 
that  the  field  has  grown  so  fast;  there  is  so  much  to  tell  of 
what  has  been  developed  or  discovered  in  recent  years.  The 
time  seems  now  to  have  come  for  a  general  survey  of  the 
field. 

Such  a  survey  requires,  of  course,  not  only  familiarity 
with  the  entire  range  of  what  others  have  written  on  the 
subject,  but  extensive  first-hand  experience  as  a  practitioner. 
The  encouragement  which  the  author  has  received  to  formulate 
his  studies  in  permanent  shape  has  come  largely  from  persons 
in  the  various  establishments  in  which  he  has  been  engaged 
in  connection  with  employment  management. 

Many  of  the  matters  discussed  in  this  work  are  at  present 
moot  questions.  Cautious  students  of  the  subject  must  hesi- 
tate to  assume  too  positive  a  stand  in  regard  to  them  until 
further  information  is  obtained.  Nevertheless,  as  these  ques- 
tions come  very  close  to  every-day  needs,  they  must  be  pre- 
sented as  definitely  as  our  knowledge  will  permit  with  safety. 
This  book  therefore  is  not  a  compilation  of  cut-and-dried 
decisions.  It  is  rather  a  record  of  observation  and  experience. 
Where  it  has  been  possible  to  take  a  definite  position  on  any 
question  the  author  has  felt  no  hesitancy  in  doing  so.  It 
should  be  remembered,  too,  that  circumstances  alter  cases,  and 
that  questions  relating  to  employment  management  require  the 
most  careful  consideration  of  all  factors  in  every  case. 

In  preparing  this  book  the  author  has  come  under  many 
obligations  to  individuals  and  organizations,  for  illustrative 
material  of  all  sorts  as  well  as  for  personal  counsel  and 
assistance.  He  desires  here  to  express  his  deep  appreciation 
of  this  courtesy  and  kindness.  He  is  particularly  indebted  to 
W.  C.  Copeland,  M.  A.,  of  the  University  of  Oxford  for 
assistance  in  the  early  stages  of  the  work,  and  to  his  assistant 
in  personnel  work,  Melville  La  Marche,  formerly  special  repre- 
sentative and  assistant  chief  of  training  methods  United  States 


PREFACE  V 

Department  of  Labor.  To  Mr.  La  Marche  belongs  a  large 
measure  of  credit  for  assistance  in  shaping  the  author's  ma- 
terial in  the  form  in  which  it  appears  and  many  suggestions 
from  him  are  embodied  throughout.  To  his  wife  and  to  his 
brother,  Morris  Sheflferman,  the  author  is  indebted  for  con- 
stant help  and  encouragement. 

Nathan  W.  Shefferman. 
Washington,  D.  C. 
September  25,  1920. 


CONTENTS 

Part  I — Function  and  Development  of  an  Employment 
Department 

Chapter  Page 

I  Reasons  for  an  Employment  Department        ...      3 

Master  and  Man  Relationship 
The  Age  of  Specialization 
Restoring  the  Humanizing  Influence 
Bad  Employment  Methods  Illustrated 
A  Summary  of  Hiring  Errors 
Employment  Department  a  Necessity 

II  Function  of  an  Employment  Department        ...      8 

Departmentalized  Industry 
The  Broad  Conception  of  Employment  Work 
Employment  Department  Problems 
Fundamentals  of  Employment  Management 
Adapting  Suggestions 

III  The  Employment  Manager 15 

Training  the  Employment  Manager 

Responsibilities  and  Rank 

What's  in  a  Name? 

Personality 

Mental  Needs 

The  Employment  Manager  as  an  Interviewer 

The  Employment  Manager's  Task 

rV  Establishing  an  Employment  Department       ...     21 

Initial  Tasks 

The  * '  Council  of  Peace ' ' 

Winning  the  Executives 

Gaining  the  Foremen's  Support 

Showing  the  Foremen  the  Benefits 

Selecting  the  Staff 

The  Functionalized  Department 

Fundamentals  of  Office  Layout 

Part  II— Getting  Employees 

V  Employment  Forms — The  Applicant        37 

Developing  Useful  Forms 

Application  for  Position  and  Record  of  Employees 

vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

The  First  Section  of  the  Form 
The  Second  Section 

The  Third  Section — Physical  Identifications 
The  Reverse  Side  of  Form 
Office  Positions 
Requisition  Forms 

VI  Employment  Forms — The  New  Employee    ....     55 

Employees'  Information  Permit 

Inquiry  Regarding  Applicants 

Vocational  Fitness 

Using  the  Vocational  Fitness  Card 

Occupational  Index  Guide 

Use  of  the  Cross-Reference  Illustrated 

Notification  of  Vacancy 

Request  for  Interview  Form 

New  Employee's  Identification  Pass 

Reporting  for  Work  Blank 

Reminder  to  Applicants  Failing  to  Appear  for  Positions 

Foreman's  Report  on  Employee 

Requesting  Interview  with  Prospective  Employees 

Employees'  Recommendation  of  Friends 

Notice  of  Vacancies  to  Former  Employees 

VII  Employment  Forms — Adjustments,  Passes,  Identifi- 
cations        72 

Request  for  Transfer  of  Employee 
Notification  of  Transfer  or  Change  of  Rates 
Collective  Notification  of  Transfers  and  Changes  of  Rates 
Employment  Slip 
Leave  of  Absence  Permit 
Foreman's  Notification  of  Absentees 
Letter  to  Absentees 
Letter  to  Habitual  Absentees 
Investigator's  Report  on  Absentee 

Order  for  Payment  to  Employee  Terminating  Employment 
'  Reason  for  Leaving 

Settlement  Slip 
Wage  Advance  Slip 
Employee's  Pass 

Contractor's  Employee's  Identification  Card 
Visitor's  Pass 
Work  Pass  for  Employee  Reporting  at  an  Hour  Other 

Than  the  Regular  Working   Hour 
Labor  Turnover  Forms 

VIII  Job  Analysis 95 

Importance  of  Job  Analysis 
Methods  of  Analysis 
A  Systematic  Survey 
Using  the  Questionnaire  Form 
A  Variation  of  the  Plan 


CONTENTS  IX 

Chapter  Page 

Syrnbolic  Arrangement 
Attitude  of  Foremen 
Checking  up  the  Foremen 
Collating  the  Information 
Advantages  of  the  Analysis 
OflBce  Job  Specifications 

IX  Securing  the  Worker 113 

Methods  of  Getting  Help 
Four  Methods  in  General  Use 

1.  Advertising — Five  Fundamentals 
Media 

Layout 

Thought  Content 

Effective  Presentation 

Specific  and  Brief  Terms 

Timeliness 

Circulars 

Posters 

2.  Solicitation — Inside  Assistance 
Boarding- House  and  Personal  Canvasses 
Previously  Employed  Employees 

3.  Scouting 

New  Nationalities 

Rural  Districts 

A  Heroic  Expedient 

4.  Employment  Agencies — Private 
Mimicipal  and  Co-operative  Agencies 
Union  Agencies 

Branch  Employment  Offices 
An  Employment  Clearing-House 
Unfit  Methods 
Building  Good  Methods 

X  Hiring,  Selecting,  and  Assigning 130 

A  Cordial  Reception 

The  Preliminary  Interview 

A  Definite  Understanding 

The  Physical  Audit 

Interview  Questions  '  • 

Developing  Interview  Questions — A  Useful  Method 

Hiring  at  Once 

Nationalities 

Past  Record 

Value  of  References 

Assistance  of  Foremen 

Hiring  and  Assigning 

Probation 

XI  Picking  the  Right  Man  for  the  Job 139 

The  Principal  Fimction  of  the  Employment  Manager 
The  Problem 


X  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

Position  of  the  Employment  Manager 
Methods  of  Selection 
Graphology 

Character  Analysis — Observational  Method 
Time  Lost  by  Character  Analysis 
Psychological  Tests 
Defects  of  Psychological  Tests 
The  Rational  Attitude  of  Psychologists 
Representative  Psychological  Tests 
The  Trabue  Completion  Scale 
Judgment  Test 

Attention  and  Initiative  Tests 
Trade  Tests 

Summary  Attitude  of  Employment  Manager  on  These 
Tests 

XII  Identification  System i6i 

Function  of  an  Identification  System 

Colors  and  Numerals 

Colors,   Numerals,   and  Location  of  Department  to  Pay 

Windows  and  Exit 
Colors,  Numerals,  and  Code  System  Checking  Shift,  Day, 

and  Month 
Numerals  Corresponding  with  Tool  Checks 
Numerals,  Photograph,  Photographic  Code  Backgroimds, 

and  Thumb  Prints 
Numerals  and  Distinctive  Contours 
Numerals  and  Visible  Signatures 
Colors,  Numerals,  and  Different  Sized  Badges  of  Varied 

Metals 
Numerals  Corresponding  to   Sales  Record — Suitable  for 

Use  in  Stores 
Signature  Slips  and  Photographic  Records 
The  Badge  or  Button 
Avoiding  Friction 

Part  III — Holding  Employees 

XIII  Labor  Turnover        189 

A  Fundamental  Problem 

An  Authoritative  Statement 

Misleading  Figures 

Variations  of  Individual  Turnover  Cost 

Figuring  Accurate  Costs 

Advantages  of  Chart  for  Showing  Turnover 

XIV  Training  and  Educational  Supervision       ....  200 

Lack  of  Training  Facilities 
Shortage  of  Skilled  Workers 
Training  the  Worker 
Methods  of  Training 
Scope  of  Training 


CONTENTS  Xi 

Chapter  Page 

Apprentice  Training 

Special  Training  Systems 

Merging  with  Public  Agencies 

Training  Old  Employees 

Americanization 

English  for  Foreigners 

Practical  Instruction 

The  Instructors 

Training  and  the  Employment  Department 

General  Educational  Advantages 

XV  Money  Payments 210 

Importance  of  Wages 

Adjusting  Wage  Inequalities 

Rate  Records 

Automatic  Increases  in  Rate 

Granting  Requested  Increases 

Reduction  in  Rates 

Constructive  Planning 

Shortages  in  Pay 

Imposing  Penalties 

Disparity  in  Wages 

Advances  Against  Wages 

Liquidating  Debts  and  Buying  Homes 

XVI  Transfers        217 

The  Importance  of  Transfers 

Conserving  Ability  Through  Transfer 

Its  Benefits  to  Firm  and  Workers 

Transfer  Function  of  Employment  Manager 

The  Attitude  of  Foremen  Towards  Transfers 

Common  Objections  to  Transfers 

The  Objections  Answered 

Transfers  Merely  Fair  to  Worker 

Transfers  Should  Not  Be  Subversive  to  Discipline 

A  Practical  Method 

Advisable  and  Inadvisable  Transfers 

Dangers  of  Transfers 

Foremen  Can  Aid  Materially 

XVII  Promotions 226 

The  Tasks  of  Promotions 

General  Promotion  Methods 

Honest  Incentive 

Charting  the  Course 

The  Three- Position  Plan  of  Promotion 

The  Understudy  System 

The  Mechanics  of  Promotion 

Factors  of  Promotion 

XVIII  Absentees         231 

Inculcating  Regularity 
Causes  of  Absence 


Xn  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

Finding  the  Reason 
The  Follow-up 
Visiting  the  Sick 
The  Personal  Visitor 
Returning  Absentees 
Methods  of  Reducing  Number  of  Absences 

XIX  Discharges 238 

Centralized  Control 

Constructive  Discharge 

An  Impartial  Judgment 

Stabilizing  Judgment  of  Foremen 

Building  Good-Will 

Reasons  for  Discharge 

Collecting  Reasons  for  Resignations 

Part  IV — Employing   for   Office,   Store,   and   Bank 

XX  Employing  eor  the  Business  House        .     .     .     ,     .  247 
Scope  of  Part  IV 

Two  Prime  Necessities  for  an  Employment  Manager 
Personnel  Development  in  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 

Company 
The  National  City  Bank 
Authority  of  the  Employment  Manager 
Examples  Typical 

XXI  Methods  or  Securing  Office  Help 255 

Methods  of  Business  Differ  Slightly  from  Those  of  Industry 
Types  of  Employees 
Sources  of  Supply 

1.  Advertising  for  Help 
"  Blind  Advertisements  " 
Display  Advertising 
Advertising  Not  Always  Desirable 

2.  Voluntary  Applications 

3.  Recommendation  by  Employees 

4.  Employment  Agencies 

5.  Educational  Institutions 

6.  Reinstatement 

7.  List  of  Applicants 

XXII  Engaging  Office  Employees 266 

Analyzing  the  Job 

The  Preliminary  Interview 

Value  of  Preliminary  Interview 

The  Final  Interview 

An  Ingenious  Method 

Authority  Centralized 

Use  and  Abuse  of  Centralized  Power 

General  Methods  of  Selection 

Psychological  Tests 


CONTENTS  xiii 

Chapter  Page 

A  Combination  Test 

Occupational  Examination 

Letter- Writing  Important 

Mentality  Tests 

Tests  Should  Vary 

Tests  Raise  the  Standard  of  Employees 

Business  Recommendations 

XXIII  Assigning  and  Preliminary  Follow-up  Supervision     .  291 

Pretraining  Supervision 

Adaptability 

The  Probationary  Period 

The  First  Rough  Spots 

The  Introduction  Committee 

Duties  of  the  Committee  '; 

Follow-up  Plans 

Further  Follow-up  Measures 

Another  Type  of  Follow-up 

A  Third  Type  of  Follow-up 

The  Rating  Card 

Information  Booklet 

XXIV  Transfers  and  Promotions 306 

Transfers  the  Province  of  the  Employment  Manager 

Objections  to  Transfers  Less  Than  in  Industry 

Transfer  and  Turnover 

Practical  Example  of  a  Transfer  System 

Charting  Transfer  Data 

A  Concrete  Example 

Further  Utility  of  the  System 

Transfer  and  Success 

The  Philosophy  of  Promotion 

Avoiding  Mystery 

Practice  of  a  Merchandising  Concern 

A  Chain  Store  Plan  for  Promotion 

The  Opportunity  for  Initiative 

Practical  Promotion  Plan 

The  Understudy  Method 

Useful  Forms 

XXV  Absenteeism,  Tardiness,  Discharges 323 

Absentee  Losses 

Encouraging  Promptness  and  Attendance 

Banner  Competition 

Attendance  Bonuses 

Vacation  as  a  Reward 

Other  Plans  of  Reward 

Following  Up  Absentees 

Keeping  the  Records 

The  Departure  Sheet 

Summary  of  Absences  and  Lateness 

The  Honor  System 

The  Power  of  Discharge 


xiv  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

Dealing  with  Recommendations  for  Discharge 
A  Department  Store  Method 
Turnover  and  Discharge 

Part  V— The  Human  Element 

XXVI  Service  Work  in  Industry 345 

Keeping  the  Worker  Contented 
Getting  Acquainted 

Keeping  in  Touch  with  the  New  Employee 
Working  Conditions 
Eating  Facilities 
Health  and  Safety- 
Housing  and  Stores 
Transportation 

Methods  of  Solving  the  Transportation  Problem 
The  Visiting  Nurse 
Plant  Publications 
Suggestions  from  Workers 
Social  and  Recreational  Activities 
The  Foremen  and  the  Workman 
Two  Attitudes  Contrasted 
Human  Relations 
The  Employment  Manager  the  Link  Between  Employer 

and  Employee 
Profit-Sharing 
Bonuses 

Length-of-Service  Bonuses 
Production  Bonuses 
Continuous  Service  Defined 

General  Electric  Company's  Rules  on  Continuous  Service 
Standard  Oil  Plan 

Rewards  as  a  Means  of  Discouraging  Tardiness  and  Absence 
Service  Pensions  and  Insurance 
Stock-Owning 
Internal  Banks  and  Savings  Schemes 

XXVII  Service  Work  in  the  Business  House    .     .     .     .     .  367 
Scope  of  Chapter 
Purpose  of  Service  Work 
Providing  Good  Food 

The  Example  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company 
Clubs  and  Associations 
Recreation  and  Athletics 
Social  Activities 
Co-operative  Store 
Meetings 

The  Benefit  of  Meetings 
Sanatariums 
Thrift  and  Savings 
An  Excellent  Savings  System 
Insurance  and  Pensions 
A  Company  Policy 
Bonuses 
Profit-Sharing 


CONTENTS  XV 

Chapter  Page 

Bonuses  on  Advertisements  and  High  Cost  of  Living 
Education 
Training  and  the  Employrnent  Manager 

XXVIII  The  Medical  Department        385 

Benefits  of  Medical  Department 

Fimctions 

The  Pre-employment  Examination 

Report  to  Employment  Department 

Caring  for  Injuries  and  Illness 

Importance  of  Health  in  Industry 

The  Cost  of  lUness 

Provisions  for  Physical  Welfare 

Aid  to  Workmen's  Families 

An  Ounce  of  Prevention 

Value  of  the  Medical  Department 

XXIX  The  Place  of  Women  ln  Personnel  Work        .     .     .  402 
Women  in  Industry 
Woman  Must  Work 

Women  in  the  Employrnent  Department 
The  Opinion  of  the  Business  Man 
Some  Representative  Opinions 
The  Woman  Employment  Manager 
A  Woman  Begets  Confidence 
The  Teaching  Instinct 

The  Female  Employment  Manager  as  a  Confidant 
The  Female  Employment  Manager  and  the  Male  Worker 
An  Additional  Source  of  Information 
Summary''  of  Survey 
Woman's  Versatility 

XXX  Industrial  Housing        417 

Housing  a  Real  Problem 

Housing  a  Problem  Not  Yet  Solved 

Capital  Not  Investing  in  Housing 

Causes  for  Poor  Housing 

Inadequate  Housing  Means  Decreased  Production 

The  Relation  of  Housing  to  Turnover 

Betterment  of  Housing  Conditions  by  Employees 

Examples  of  the  Benefits  of  Good  Housing 

Good  Housing's  Advantages  Enimierated 

A  Social  ResponsibiHty 

The  Employee  Not  to  Assume  Full  Control 

A  Throw  Back  to  Colonial  Days 

Extremes  in  Company-ControUed  Towns 

The  Problem  from  the  Employer's  Side 

Housing  and  the  Employment  Manager 

Important  Factors  in  the  Problem 

What  Adequate  Housing  Involves 

Housing  Essentials 

Race  and  Class  Distinction 

Returns  on  Housing  Investment 

The  Right  Sort  of  Contract 

The  Goodyear  Company  Plan 


XVI  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

The  Ideal  Plan 
The  Plan  in  Detail 
Its  Advantages 

Limitations  upon  Annual  Dividends 
Opportunity  for  the  Workers 

XXXI  Industrial  Democracy 440 

Need  of  New  Relations  Between  Worker  and  Employer 

Efforts  to  Bring  About  This  "Relation" 

Arbitration  Boards 

Rendering  Decisions 

Scope  of  the  Board 

Responsibilities  of  Arbitration  Board 

Standard  Oil  Company — Right  of  Appeal 

The  Evolution  of  Industrial  Democracy 

What  These  Plans  Are 

The  Basis  of  Industrial  Democracy 

The  Two  Extremes 

An  Example  of  Industrial  Democracy 

Labor  Control 

The  Bridgeport  Brass  Company's  Plan 

The  Willys-Overland  Plan 

The  Rockefeller  Plan 

The  Studebaker  Plan 

Motive  of  Plan  Important 

Education  the  First  Step 

The  Example  of  the  American  Multigraph  Company 

The  Worker's  Conception  of  Capital 

The  Method  of  Education 

Capital  and  Labor  Defined 

The  Corporation  Defined 

Wages  and  the  Cost  of  Product 

A  Concrete  Expression  of  Capital 

The  Relation  of  Overhead  to  Cost 

The  Aim  of  the  Company 

Appendix 

Appendix  A-The  Employees' Handbook 461 

B-Industrial  Training 469 

C-Instruction  to  Insure  Americanization  of  Aliens  .      .      .      .491 

D-The  Co-operative  Store 499 

E-The  Visiting  Nurse 502 

F-Suggestion  System  of  National  Cash  Register  Company  .  508 
G-The    Annuity    and    Benefit    Plan   of   the    Standard     Oil 

Company  of  New  Jersey 513 

H-The  Educational  Department  of  the  National  City  Bank  522 
I-Training  at  the  R.  H.  Macy  Department  Store  ....  534 
J-Excerpts  from  Welfare    Pamphlet    Issued    to    Employees 

of  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance   Company  Concerning 

Education  ...  546 

K-Health    Department    of    Metropolitan      Life    Insurance 

Company         548 

T^Health    Letters    of    Connecticut  General    Life    Insurance 

Company 551 


FORMS   AND   ILLUSTRATIONS 

Industrial  Plants 

Organization  Charts 
Figure  Page 

1.  Charts  of  Employment  Managers'  Functions: 

(a)  Portraying    the    Related    Functions    of    the    Employment 

Manager lo 

(b)  Portraying  Additional  Functions  Falling  Within  the  Scope  of 

the  Employment  Manager 1 1 

(c)  Portraying  all  the  Functions  Falling  Within  the  Scope  of  the 

Employment  or  Personnel  Manager I2 

2.  Chart  Portraying  the  Functions  of  the  Personnel  Department  .      .  29 

3.  Suggested  Plan  for  Employment  Office  in  a  Plant  of  500  to  5,000 

Employees 31 

4.  Suggested  Plan  for  Large  Employment  Office  in  a  Plant  of  5,000 

or  More  Employees         32 

Application  and  Employment  Forms 

5.  Application  for  Position  Folder 39,  47,  50 

6.  Application  for  Position — Office 51 

7.  Requisition  for  an  Individual  Employee 52 

8.  Collective  Requisition  for  a  Number  of  Employees 52 

9.  Summary  Labor  Requisition 53 

10.  Information  Permit  on  Employee's  Record         55 

1 1 .  Inquiry  Regarding  Applicant         56 

12.  Vocational  Fitness  Card 58 

13.  (a)  Occupational  Index  Card         60 

(b)  Occupational  Index  Guide 61 

14.  Notification  of  Vacancy 63 

15.  Request  for  Interview  with  Applicant 63 

16.  New  Employee's  Identification  Pass        65 

17.  Reporting  for  Work  Blank 65 

18.  Reminder  to  Applicant  Failing  to  Appear  for  Position       ....  67 

19.  Foreman's  Report  on  Employee 67 

20.  Letter  to  Prospective  Employee,  Requesting  Interview      ....  69 

21.  Blank  for  Employee's  Recommendation  of  Friends 70 

22.  Notice  of  Vacancies  to  Former  Employees 70 

23.  Request  for  Transfer  of  Employee 73 

24.  Notification  of  Employee's  Transfer  and  Change  of  Rate        ...  73 

25.  Collective  Notification  of  Employee's  Transfers  and  Changes  of 

Rates 75 

26.  Employment  Slip  for  Employees  Temporarily  Laid  Off  or  Trans- 

ferred   76 

Absentee,  Leaving,  and  Turnover  Records 

27.  Leave  of  Absence  Permit 77 

28.  Foreman's  Report  of  Individual  Absentee 77 

xvii 


Xvm  FORMS   AND   ILLUSTR.VTIONS 

Figure  Page 

29.  Foreman's  Report  of  Two  or  More  Absentees 79 

30.  Letter  to  Absentees 79 

31.  Letter  to  Habitual  Absentees        81 

32.  Investigator's  Report  on  Absentee 83 

33.  Order  for  Payment  to  Employee  Terminating  Employment    ...  83 

34.  Reason  for  Leaving  Form 85 

35.  Settlement  Slip  of  Employee  Terminating  Employment     ....  85 

36.  Wage  Advance  Slip 87 

37.  Employee's  Pass 87 

38.  Contractor's  Employee's  Identification  Card 87 

39.  Visitor's  Pass 89 

40.  Work  Pass  for  Employee  Reporting  at  an  Hour  Other  Than  His 

Regular  Time 89 

41.  Form  for  Recording  Labor  Turnover  by  Dates  for  One  Depart- 

ment     90 

42.  Summary  of  Labor  Turnover  for  Entire  Plant  Arranged  by  Depart- 

ments       . 91 

43.  Adaptation  of  Figure  41   to  Meet  the  Requirements  of  a  Large 

Copper  Plant 92,  93 

Job  Analyses  and  Test  Forms 

44.  Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart  98-101 

45.  Employment  Manager's  Epitomized  Analysis  of  Job 107 

46.  The  Completed  Job  Specification  Form         109 

47.  Job  Specification  Blank  Suitable  for  Office  Positions iii 

48.  Specimens  of  "  Help  Wanted  "  Advertising 117 

49.  Trabue's  Completion  Scale 150,151 

50.  Judgment  Test  152 

51.  Attention  and  Initiative  Test 154 

52.  Chart  of  Blacksmith's  Performance  Test — United  States  Army  .156 

53.  Expert  Machinist's  Test  158,159 

Identiftcation  Systems 

54.  The  Departmental  Survey — The  First  Step  in  Installing  an  Identifi- 

cation System 162 

55.  Identification  System  Using  Colors,  Letters,  and  Numerals    .       164,  165 

56.  Sample  of  Buttons  and  Tabs  Used  in  Identification  System  Por- 

trayed in  Figures  55  and  57 166 

57.  Identification   System   Using   Colors,    Numerals,   and   Location  of 

Department  with  Respect  to  Pay  Windows  and  Exits         .      .      .169 

58.  Illustration  of   Button  Used  in  Identification   System   Employing 

Colors,  Numerals,  and  Code  System  Checking  Shift,  Day,  and 
Month 172 

59.  Table  Showing  Provision  Made  in  Identification  System  Illustrated 

in  Figure  58,  for  Daily  Distribution  of  Tabs,  According  to  Letters 
and  Code  Words,  for  One  Month         173 

60.  Illustration  of  Identification  System  Using  Numeral,  Photograph, 

Photographic  Code  Background,  and  Thumb  Print        .      .  ,176 

61.  Table  Showing  Assignment  of  Numerals  in  Identification  System 

Illustrated  in  Figure  60 178 

62.  Illustration    of    Identification    System    Employing    Numerals    and 

Distinctive  Contours  of  Badges  for  Identifying  Different  Groups 

or  Departments 180 

63.  Illustration  of  Button  Used  in  Identification  System  Using  Numerals 

and  Visible  Signature     .      ,     , 181 


FORMS   AND   ILLUSTRATIONS  xix 

Figure  Page 

64.  Table  Showing  Identification  System  Suitable  for  Use  in  Store  .      .183 

65.  Specimens  of  Signature  Slips  Used  in  Identification  of  Employees     .    1 85 

Labor  Turnover  Charts 

66.  Working  Force  Report  or  Stability  Chart 197 

67.  Percentage  Charts  from  Stability  Records 198 

Office,  Store  and  Bank 

Organization  Charts 

68.  Status  of  the  Personnel  Director: 

(a)  In  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company 251 

(b)  In  National  City  Bank  of  New  York 252 

(c)  In  Guaranty  Trust  Company  of  New  York         252 

(d)  In  Chase  National  Bank  of  New  York 252 

(e)  In  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company 253 

Advertisement,  Application,  and  Employment  Forms 

69.  Examples  of  "Blind"  Advertisements  for  Executive  Positions      .      .257 

70.  Sample  of  Display  Advertising  for  Help,  Used  by  the  Makers  of 

Mavis  Toilet  Goods 258 

71.  Illustration  of   Display  Advertising  for  Help,   Used  by  the  New 

York  Telephone  Company         259 

72.  Interview  Sheet 269 

73.  Specimen  Application  Blanks: 

(a)  Used  by  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company    .      .   272,  273 

(b)  Used  by  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company 274,  275 

(c)  Used  by  United  Cigar  Stores  Company  .      .      .      ,   276, 277 

74.  Obtaining  Front,  Side,  and  Back  View  of  Applicants  by  Means  of 

Mirrors 279 

75.  Application  for  Employment    Incorporating    Letter- Writing    Test, 

Used  by  Chase  National  Bank 286 

Follow-Up  and  Rating  Forms 

76.  Report  of  Reception  Committee  296 

77.  Forms  Used  by  National  City  Bank  of  New  York  in  Following  Up 

Employees: 

(a)  Progressive  Record  of  Employee's  Transfers  and  Promotions 

(face);    Progressive  Record  of  Employees'  Physical  Exami- 
nation (reverse) 299 

(b)  Department  Head's  Personal  Report  on  Employee        .      .      .   300 

(c)  Employment  Manager's  Report  on  Personal  Interview   with 

Employee  301 

78.  Follow-Up  Record  Used  by  Chase  National  Bank         302 

79.  (a)  Blank  for  Reviewing  Employee's  Work  and  Deportment,  Used 

in  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company  (face)        .      .      .   303 
(b)  Reverse  of  79  (a),  Used  for  Recording  Approval  or  Disapproval 

of  Wage  Increase         304 

80.  Sales  Clerk's  Rating  Card,  Used  by  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company     .      .   305 

81.  (a)  Blank  for  Charting  Transfer  Data,  Used  by  R.  H.  Macy  and 

Company  (face) 309 

(b)  Reverse  of  81  (a)      . 309 

82.  Rating  Cards,  Used  by  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company: 

(a)  Applicant's  Rating  Card 316 


XX  FORMS   AND   JLLUSTRATIONS 

Figure  Page 

(b)  Rating  Scale  for  Employees  of  Grade  of  Assistant  Section 

Head  or  Above 317 

(c)  Rating  Scale  for  Employees  Below  Grade  of  Assistant  Section 

Head 318 

(d)  Rating  Slip  for  Employees  of  Grade  of  Assistant  Section  Head 

or  Above 319 

(e)  Rating  Slip  for  Employees  Below  Grade  of  Assistant  Section 

Head 319 

(f)  Slip  Used  in  Consideration  of  Salary  Increase  for  Individual 

Employee 320 

(g)  Slip  Used  in  Consideration  of  Salary  Increases  for  a  Number 

of  Employees         321 

Absentees,  Leaving,  and  Turnover  Records 

83.  Honor  Certificate  for  Punctuality  and  Attendance  Given  by  the 

Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company 325 

84.  Reminder  Card  to  Employees  Habitually  Late 326 

85.  Sheet  for   Recording   Tardy   Employees,   Used  by   Equitable   Life 

Assurance  Company 328 

86.  Departure  Sheet  for  Recording  Employees  Leaving  Before  or  After 

Closing  Hours,  Used  by  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company     .      .328 

87.  Summary  of  Absent  and  Late  Employees 329 

88.  Daily  Record  Card  Kept  by  Employee  Himself 330 

89.  Labor  Turnover  Forms: 

(a)  Cause  of  Resignation  or  Dismissal  Record  Card       ....   332 

(b)  Daily  Report  of  New  Employees         333 

(c)  Record  of  Locations  of  New  Employees 334 

(d)  Record  of  Transfers,  Interviews,  Absentees         .....  335 

(e)  Reasons  Given  for  Resignations 336 

(f)  Record  of  Resignations 337 

(g)  Salary  Increases  Record 337 

(h)  Monthly  Statistics  Sheet  for  Recording  Number  of  Appli- 
cants, Number  of  New  Employees,  and  Source     ....   338 

(i)  Yearly  Statistics  Sheet  for  Recording  Number  of  Applicants, 
Number,  Source,  Religion,  and  Positions  of  New  Em- 
ployees— Sheet  I  339 

(j)   Yearly  Statistics  Sheet — Sheet  2 340 

Service  Forms 

90.  Form    of    Record,    with    Explanation    of    Combination    Insurance, 

Attendance,  Bonus  and  Pension  Plan,  Adopted  in  a  Smelting  and 
Rolling  Company 364 

91.  Organization  Chart — Department  of  Personnel  and  Training  of  a 

New  York  Department  Store 382 

92.  Medical  Examination  Forms: 

(a)  Used  by  the  National  City  Bank  of  New  York         ....  386 

(b)  Used  by  the  American  Smelting  and  Refimng  Company     .      .   387 

(c)  Used   by    the   United    Railways   and    Electric    Company   of 

Baltimore  388,389 

(d)  Used  by  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company      ....   390 

93.  Card  for  Summarizing  Applicant's  Physical  Condition       ....   392 

94.  Patient's  Record  Card         400 

95.  Tabulated  Summary  of  Points  to  be  Considered  in  Planning  and 

Financing  an  Industrial  Housing  Project 436,  437 


Employment  Methods 


PART  I 

FUNCTION  AND   DEVELOPMENT  OF  AN 
EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 


CHAPTER  I 

REASONS  FOR  AN  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 

Master  and  Man  Relationship 

Bill,  a  factory  worker,  one  day  saw  one  of  his  fellow- 
workmen  engaged  on  an  arduous  job.  Coming  up  behind, 
he  slapped  him  on  the  back  and  cheered  him  on.  When  the 
workman  turned  round,  Bill  was  terrified  to  see  that  he  was 
not  a  workman  at  all,  but  the  boss ! 

But  instead  of  scolding  Bill,  the  boss  gave  him  to  under- 
stand that  his  interest  in  the  work,  however  boisterously  ex- 
hibited, was  a  thing  to  be  commended. 

This  happened  in  the  days  of  the  small-scale  production 
when  Bill  ^nd  John  could  give  the  best  that  was  in  them, 
regardless  of  time  and  exertion. 

The  Age  of  Specialization 

This  desirable  personal  relationship  is  rarely  possible  at 
present.  Big  business  has  been  made  possible  by  the  evolu- 
tion of  specialized  talent.  Today  the  purchasing  agent,  the 
auditor,  the  chemist,  the  sales  manager,  and  the  production 
engineer  are  called  into  council  by  the  chief  executive,  to 
discuss  the  work  of  their  particular  departments.  As  business 
grew  to  immense  proportions,  methods  necessarily  became 
mechanical;  the  human  equation  was  nearly  forgotten.  A 
telephone  message  or  a  written  form  of  communication  from 
superintendent  or  foreman,  transmitted  perfunctorily  to  the 
workmen,  in  many  cases  has  taken  the  place  of  the  personal 
request. 

3 


4'      '   DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

Restoring  the  Humanizing  Influence 

The  problem  today  is  to  restore  that  personal  inspiration 
or  to  find  a  suitable  substitute,  both  human  and  humanizing, 
to  take  the  place  of  the  former  master-and-man  relationship. 
To  do  this  there  must  be  a  department  given  over  to  employ- 
ment and  nothing  else,  where  all  functions  pertaining  to  the 
getting,  selecting,  assigning,  and  holding  of  help  may  be  cen- 
tralized; this  department  must  have  a  competent  head  who 
can  act  as  a  medium  through  which  the  personal  touch  will 
be  restored  and  maintained. 

Bad  Employment  Methods  Illustrated 

Where  there  is  no  employment  department,  the  work  that 
ought  to  be  done  by  an  employment  manager,  the  work  which 
has  so  directly  to  do  with  the  restoration  of  the  humanizing 
influence,  is  too  often  left  to  anybody  or  everybody,  from 
the  general  manager  or  superintendent  down. 

A  factory  worker  injured  his  arm,  and  was  for  some  time 
prevented  from  working.  As  he  was  under  pay  during  the 
period  of  recuperation,  it  was  thought  economical  to  find 
some  kind  of  a  job  for  him.  He  was  put  in  charge  of 
employing!  Following  is  his  own  statement  of  the  methods 
he  employed  in  choosing  men:  "If  a  man  approached  me  and 
I  liked  his  looks,  or  if  he  smiled,  I  would  ask  him  where  he 
worked.  If  he  spoke  of  some  place  I  had  heard  of  I  gave 
him  the  job.  If  I  did  not  like  his  appearance,  if  he  did  not 
appeal  to  me,  I  turned  him  down." 

About  the  time  the  above-mentioned  workman  recovered 
the  use  of  his  arm,  another  man  was  injured;  a  piece  of 
metal  fell  on  his  foot.  The  work  of  employing  was  imme- 
diately turned  over  to  him.  So  far  as  this  "employment 
manager'*  was  concerned,  one  man  was  as  good  as  another. 
He  did  not  even  trouble  to  discriminate  between  his  likes 


REASONS   FOR  EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  5 

and  dislikes.     Apparently,  the  necessary  qualification  for  an 
employment  manager  in  that  factory  was  to  break  an  arm  •/" 
or  a  leg. 

In  many  plants,  the  hiring  is  in  the  hands  of  the  man 
at  the  gate,  in  conjunction  with  the  foremen.  If  the  applicant 
does  not  strike  the  fancy  of  the  gateman,  or  if  this  functionary 
does  not  care  to  be  bothered  just  at  the  time,  the  job-seeker 
gets  no  further ;  but  is  turned  away,  often  gruffly,  even  before 
the  foreman  has  a  chance  to  see  him  and  ascertain  his  de- 
sirability as  an  employee.  Because  of  this  system  many  valu- 
able employees  are  lost  to  the  firm. 

Some  plants  depend  upon  the  foremen  to  hire  whatever 
help  they  can  get  from  among  their  friends.  If  the  number 
supplied  in  this  way  does  not  meet  the  demand,  the  quota  is 
filled  from  the  crowd  of  job-seekers  usually  found  in  the 
waiting-room  or  at  the  entrance.  In  such  cases  the  foreman 
may  misuse  his  power.  For  instance,  a  foreman  in  a  large 
factory  was  called  upon  to  interview  an  applicant.  He  hurled 
at  the  job-seeker  a  lot  of  irrelevant  questions  and  turned  him 
away  without  really  learning  anything  about  his  ability.  The 
foreman,  when  asked  why  he  did  not  hire  the  man,  said, 
"He  is  lame."  As  the  man  walked  away  from  the  plant, 
he  did  not  exhibit  the  slightest  evidences  of  physical  dis- 
ability. It  was  disclosed  later  that  the  applicant  was  a  valuable 
man  who  had  previously  been  in  the  employ  of  the  company 
and  whose  discharge  had  been  caused  at  that  time  by  his 
temerity  in  calling  his  foreman  a  "damphool"  as  a  result  of 
a  publicly  administered  rebuke.  The  foreman  of  this  story 
was  a  friend  of  the  foreman  who  had  been  so  picturesquely 
anathematized,  and  was  acquainted  with  the  circumstances 
of  the  case.  The  consequence  was  that  he  rejected  the  appli- 
cant, and  through  prejudice  and  false  loyalty  to  his  friend 
prevented  the  plant  from  securing  a  valuable  and  efficient 
worker. 


6  DEVELOPMENT  OF  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 

A  Summary  of  Hiring  Errors 

The  inefficiency  and  futility  of  such  methods  of  hiring 
are,  of  course,  apparent.  The  examples  cited  above  are  simply 
specific  illustrations  of  some  of  the  worst  of  the  errors  still 
made  in  selecting  and  hiring.  In  brief,  the  most  common 
of  these  errors  are: 

1.  Careless  hiring.  The  theory  that  one  man  is  as  good 
as  another. 

2.  Favoritism  on  the  part  of  a  foreman.  The  foreman 
stands  among  his  comrades  as  a  person  of  importance  because 
he  can  give  a  man  a  job.  He  is  likely  to  allow  this  standing 
to  become  more  important  than  his  loyalty  to  the  firm. 

3.  Preference.  Preference  may  be  given  on  grounds  of 
church  membership,  creed,  or  nationality,  regardless  of  fitness 
or  capacity  for  the  job;  or  to  members  of  the  same  secret 
society.  Such  organizations  are  sometimes  brought  into  dis- 
repute by  being  utilized  for  a  purpose  for  which  they  were 
never  intended. 

4.  Bad-tempered  hiring.  The  individual  doing  the  hiring 
often  speaks  gruffly  or  makes  the  applicant  wait  an  hour  or 
two  before  the  interview.  The  bad  impression  thus  created 
at  the  beginning  reflects  discredit  on  the  plant. 

5.  The  personal  factor  interferes.  The  one  who  hires 
rarely  gives  an  encouraging  interview  to  men  who  do  not 
appeal  to  him  personally. 

6.  Envy  between  foremen.  Frequently  one  foreman  may 
be  envious  of  another  foreman.  Instead  of  referring  to  the 
other  a  promising  applicant  whom  he  cannot  use,  he  will 
prefer  to  let  the  firm  lose  a  good  workman;  he  does  not  realize 
that  he  has  any  need  to  be  concerned  about  the  wants  of 
another  department. 

7.  Thoughtless  firing.  A  man  is  liable  to  be  fired  as 
quickly  as  he  was  hired  and  with  the  same  gracelessness, 
indifference,  or  prejudice.     Calm  reason,  not  prejudice  and 


REASONS   FOR   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  7 

spite,  must  characterize  the  personal  relations  between  the 
firm  and  the  employee. 

Employment  Department  a  Necessity 

A  study  of  a  later  chapter  on  the  cost  of  labor  turnover 
which  results  from  haphazard  hiring  and  firing,  will  convince 
doubters  as  to  the  need  of  an  employment  department.  Though 
it  is  probable  that  a  plant  should  employ  a  minimum  of  250 
persons  to  justify  the  establishment  of  a  separate  employment 
department,  an  understanding  and  application  of  employment 
management  principles  should  extend  to  the  smallest  plants, 
regardless  of  whether  they  feel  warranted  in  separating  this 
work  or  not.  The  application  of  the  turnover  cost  figures  to 
the  labor  turnover  of  almost  any  business  which  hires  and 
fires  unsystematically,  will  prove  conclusively  that  the  employ- 
ment department  is  based  upon  sound  business  practice ;  it  is  a 
money-saver  and  a  financial  asset,  as  well  as  a  great  humaniz- 
ing influence. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   FUNCTION    OF   AN    EMPLOYMENT 
DEPARTMENT 

Departmentalized  Industry 

The  industrial  world  has  functionalized  and  depart- 
mentalized all  its  branches.  We  have  now  the  production 
department,  the  purchasing  department,  the  sales  department, 
and  many  others.  But  one  of  the  most  important  of  all, 
the  employment  or  personnel  department,  is  only  now  estab- 
lishing itself  on  a  par  with  the  others,  though  its  field  offers 
an  even  greater  opportunity  for  constructive  work.  The  em- 
ployment problem  is  as  subtle  and  complex  as  human  nature 
itself.  It  cannot  be  handled  entirely  by  statistics,  which, 
though  essential  in  their  place,  form  only  a  single  factor 
in  its  solution. 

The  Broad  Conception  of  Employment  Work 

1  In  the  broadest  conception,  the  personnel  department  has 
supervision  over  practically  every  relationship  between  em- 
ployer and  employee.  Because  the  position  of  employment 
manager  is  of  comparatively  recent  origin,  and  because  the 
function  of  the  position,  though  constantly  gaining  in  im- 
portance, varies  in  different  plants  as  to  scope  and  authority, 
it  is  impossible  to  place  definite  limits  to  the  work  of  the 
employment  department. 

Throughout  this  book  the  broad  conception  of  the  function 
of  such  a  department  has  been  adhered  to,  for  it  is  this 
conception  that  is  becoming  general  in  the  minds  and  plans 
of  executives  throughout  the  country, 

8 


FUNCTION   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  9 

Employment  Department  Problems 

To  the  employment  department,  then,  will  come  problems 
relating  to  all  the  following  functions  of  industrial  adminis- 
tration: 

1.  Getting  help. 

2.  Job  analysis. 

3.  Identification  systems. 

4.  Industrial  training — education,  etc. 

5.  Housing. 

6.  Placing  men  in  proper  places. 

7.  Promotions. 

8.  Discharges. 

9.  Tardiness. 

10.  Transfers. 

11.  Arbitrating  employees*  grievances. 

12.  Labor  turnover. 

13.  Wages,  hours,  etc. 

14.  Absentees. 

15.  Safety. 

16.  Welfare  work — recreation,  etc. 

17.  Plant  publications. 

18.  Mechanical  systems  for  the  employment  office,  so  that 

its  functions  may  be  properly  administered. 

Manifestly,  the  task  of  the  employment  department  is  an 
important  and  difficult  one. 

Figures  la  and  ib  graphically  portray,  under  related 
classifications,  such  functions  as  fall  within  the  scope  given 
to  employment  or  personnel  work  under  the  broadest  inter- 
pretation of  management.  From  the  workers*  viewpoint  the 
same  functions,  more  elaborately  detailed,  are  shown  in 
Figure  ic,  which  depicts  nearly  every  possible  contact  be- 
tween the  personnel  or  the  employment  department  and  the 
worker. 


10        DEVELOPMENT  OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 


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12        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 


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FUNCTION   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  13 

Fundamentals  of  Employment  Management 

Every  industry  has  problems  of  employment  peculiar  to 
itself,  depending  upon  the  nature  of  its  work,  its  policy,  and 
the  nature  of  its  personnel.  The  methods  of  securing,  em- 
ploying, and  holding  help  which  are  successfully  used  in  one 
factory,  cannot  always  be  advantageously  adopted  in  another. 
The  same  set  of  circumstances  does  not  obtain  in  all  factories 
and  often  not  at  different  times  in  a  single  factory.  Successful 
employment  management,  consequently,  necessitates  a  compre- 
hensive grasp  of  fundamental  principles. 

From  a  comparative  study  of  many  cases,  certain  funda- 
mentals have  been  revealed  which  are  necessary  to  the  success 
of  any  employment  department,  regardless  of  its  size  or  the 
type  of  business  in  which  it  is  operating.  The  most  important 
of  these  may  be  summed  up  as  follows: 

1.  Co-operation.  The  employment  department  must  work 
in  harmony  with  every  man  in  the  plant.  Its  primary  purpose 
is  to  get  and  hold  efficient  workmen;  the  fulfilment  of  this 
purpose  is  possible  only  if  the  department  has  the  co-operation 
and  hearty  support  of  the  workmen. 

2.  Support  from  the  management.  The  moral  support  of 
the  management  is  essential.  This  support  must  come  from 
a  sincere  desire  to  better  the  lot  of  the  worker.  The  mere 
signing  of  an  order  does  not  establish  an  employment  depart- 
ment. 

3.  Efficient  systematizing.  Many  of  the  problems  of  the 
employment  department  can  best  be  solved  by  the  installation 
of  an  efficient  system  of  forms  or  the  like.  The  system  must 
not  only  be  theoretically  excellent,  but  also  practically  work- 
able. General  familiarity  with  such  systems,  and  the  ability 
to  choose  and  adopt  those  best  fitted  to  the  particular  case, 
are  essential  parts  of  an  employment  manager's  equipment. 

4.  A  competent  personnel.  A  competent  employment  de- 
partment personnel  will  comprise  men  who  have  accurate 


14        DEVELOPMENT  OF  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 

knowledge  of,  and  enthusiastic  interest  in  all  the  problems 
which  come  to  the  employment  department  for  solution.  The 
chief  attribute  necessary  for  this  personnel,  and  particularly 
for  the  employment  manager  himself,  is  a  thorough  under- 
standing of  everything  that  may  be  classed  under  the  broad 
term  **human  engineering." 

Adapting  Suggestions 

The  following  pages,  accordingly,  do  not  embody  a  ready- 
made  plan,  but  rather  a  survey  of  what  has  been  tried  and 
found  useful.  Mistakes  have  been  eliminated,  non-essentials 
discarded,  and  constructive  suggestions  and  plans  set  forth. 
The  instructions  and  forms  here  given  will  not  apply  uni- 
versally, but  they  may  be  used  as  a  reliable  foundation  upon 
which  to  develop  a  satisfactory  employment  department.  Each 
reader  must  discriminate  and  choose  for  his  own  case  such 
as  are  applicable  to  his  own  particular  business. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  EMPLOYMENT  MANAGER 

Training  the  Employment  Manager 

Fortunately,  employment  managers  can  be  made,  though 
only  a  few  are  born.  To  determine  the  grade  of  man  who 
will  successfully  fill  the  position  of  employment  manager,  his 
training,  his  rank  in  the  organization,  his  personal  and  mental 
characteristics — and  not  least,  the  title  which  is  to  be  given 
him — is  a  task  which  calls  for  careful  analysis. 

]  The  hiring  and  handling  of  the  human  machine  is  a  pro- 
fessional activity  worthy  of  the  full  attention  of  a  well-paid, 
responsible,  and  able  executive.  If  a  man  of  the  right  natural 
qualifications  can  be  found  already  within  the  organization, 
he  can  be  trained  in  the  technique  of  the  work;  otherwise  a 
man  should  be  procured  from  the  outside. 

So  technical  and  important,  however,  is  this  business  of 
"human  engineering"  that  the  best  way  to  get  it  started,  if 
a  man  is  taken  from  within  the  organization,  is  to  have  the 
appointee  work  for  a  limited  time  under  the  direction  of  an 
expert  from  outside,  a  consulting  employment  manager,  who 
has  made  a  profession  of  installing  employment  departments 
and  training  employment  men.  Where  this  plan  is  not  feasible 
the  new  manager  should  arrange  to  attend  one  of  the  courses 
of  instruction  in  employment  management  given  at  the  various 
colleges.  He  may  round  out  his  knowledge  by  a  well-prepared 
reading  course  and  by  correlating  with  his  practical  daily 
work  the  theories  and  the  suggestions  gained  from  his 
studies. 

15 


l6        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

Responsibilities  and  Rank 

The  position  is  an  extremely  responsible  one.    On  the  suc- 
cess of  its  administration  depend : 

1.  The  efficiency  of  the  employees. 

2.  The  permanancy  of  the  personnel. 

3.  The  reputation  of  the  firm,  inside  and  outside. 

4.  To  some  extent,  also,  even  the  ultimate  profits  of  the 

business. 

Holding,  as  he  does,  a  position  of  great  responsibility,  the 
rank  of  the  employment  manager  in  the  plant  organization 
should"  be  correspondingly  high.  He  is  second  to  none  in 
importance;  he  should  rank  with  the  superintendent  of  produc- 
tion, or  the  works  manager.  'He  should  be  responsible  only 
to  the  highest  executive — ^the  general  manager,  superintendent, 
factory  manager,  or  whoever  he  may  be.  Within  his  own 
sphere,  he  should  have  authority  identical  with  that  given 
to  the  heads  of  other  departments  if  he  is  to  do  effective  work,) 
The  importance  of  his  station  was  recognized  by  the  govern- 
ment during  the  war  when  one  of  its  departments  sent  out  the 
following  letter  to  many  concerns  in  the  country : 

To  Presidents  of  Shipyards  and  Auxiliary  Plants 

Assuming  that  the  employment  manager  has  the  proper 
qualifications,  there  are  several  good  reasons  for  giving 
him  a  rather  wide  leeway  in  handling  workers  and  their 
problems : 

1.  If  he  knows  how  to  hire,  he  gets  the  confidence  of 

the  workers  from  the  time  they  apply  for  work, 
and  strengthens  that  confidence  by  the  exercise  of 
sympathy  and  understanding. 

2.  His  position  enables  him  to  know  the  viewpoint  of 

both  employee  and  employer — a  knowledge  not  al- 
ways possessed  by  any  other  individual  in  the 
plant. 

3.  Being  nobody's  "boss"  and  sufficiently  removed  from 


THE   EMPLOYMENT   MANAGER  17 

departmental  jealousies  so  that  his  hands  are  free, 
he  should  be  able  to  adjust  many  minor  complaints 
and  disputes  that  might  otherwise  grow  to  serious 
proportions. 
4.  If  he  is  worthy  of  his  craft,  he  knows  those  govern- 
ment agencies  created  for  the  prevention  of  indus- 
trial disputes  and  how  to  invoke  their  aid. 

In  many  large  plants,  the  idea  of  giving  the  employment 
manager  wide  authority  in  labor  matters  has  solved  knotty 
problems.  The  ability  and  personality  of  the  individual  is 
a  large  factor,  but  if  his  scope  is  increased  gradually,  little 
harm  can  result  from  a  trial  of  the  plan. 

L.  C.  Marshall 

Director  of  Industrial 

Relations 

What's  In  a  Name? 

The  title  by  which  the  head  of  this  work  is  designated, 
varies  in  different  places.  Because  of  the  broad  scope  of 
his  activities  and  the  wide  view  now  taken  of  employment 
work,  the  title  of  "personnel  director"  is  often  used.  "Em- 
ployment manager,"  "employment  executive,"  "supervisor  of 
personnel,"  "service  manager,"  "superintendent  of  employ- 
ment," and  "employment  adviser"  are  the  other  names  in 
common  use.  Since  there  is  no  universal  name  to  designate 
managers  responsible  for  personnel  supervision,  and  since  the 
term  "employment  manager"  is  often  used  interchangeably  with 
that  of  "personnel  director,"  no  distinction  is  made  between 
these  terms  when  used  in  this  book;  both  are  assumed  to 
refer  to  a  man  in  charge  of  employment  and  personnel  work 
in  the  broadest  meaning  of  the  term. 

Personality 

J  The  employment  manager  must  be,  as  MarK  Twain  puts 
it,  "big  and  motherly."    He  must  be  a  man  of  keen  perception 


l8        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

and  of  broad  human  sympathies.  He  must  be  determined, 
practical,  and  courageous;  but  his  courage  must  be  tempered 
by  tact.  He  should  have  a  well-modulated  voice  and  a  pleasing 
manner.  He  must  practice  the  philosophy  that  *'it  is  the  smile 
that  wins."  He  must  have  a  fully  developed  and  practical 
sense  of  justice  and  fair  play.  He  must  be  quick  and  sure 
in  making  decisions  and  firm  in  carrying  out  his  policies.  He 
must  have  at  his  command  enthusiasm,  earnestness,  and  energy, 
and  he  must  utilize  these  faculties  daily  if  he  is  to  succeed  in 
his  work. 

The  employment  manager's  greatest  asset,  perhaps,  is  com-  J 
mon  sense.  By  this  is  meant  not  only  the  rational  application 
of  one's  own  experience  and  that  of  other  people,  but  also 
a  practical  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  the  workaday  world, 
a  thing  that  makes  a  particularly  strong  appeal  to  the  work- 
ingman. 

Mental  Needs 

The  employment  manager  should  have  a  good  working 
acquaintance  with  every  subject  which  bears  on  human  and 
industrial  relationships.  A  knowledge  of  economics,  politics, 
business  law  and  administration,  sociology,  psychology,  effi- 
ciency methods,  and  industrial  management — all  will  be  of 
practical  use  to  him. 

Coupled  with  this  he  should  have  some  technical  knowledge 
of  the  jobs  for  which  he  is  to  hire  men  and  of  the  actual 
working  methods  and  conditions.  He  can  familiarize  himself 
with  shop  conditions  by  getting  around  the  plant  as  often 
as  possible.  Thus  he  can  supplement  his  personal  knowledge 
by  talks  with  the  foremen,  with  whom  he  should  make  friends. 
By  doing  this  in  the  proper  way,  not  in  a  patronizing  spirit 
or  for  the  purpose  of  spying  or  prying,  he  will  not  be  treated 
as  an  intruder  but  will  be  accorded  full  opportunity  and 
friendly  assistance  to  complete  his  studies.     Although  some 


THE   EMPLOYMENT   MANAGER  19 

technical  knowledge  of  the  work  of  the  various  positions  in 
the  plant  is  valuable,  it  is  manifestly  not  possible  to  dis- 
pense with  it. 

"He  must  be  able  to  search  for  and  ascertain  facts  per- 
taining to  his  problems,  give  them  proper  relative  valuation, 
and  make  sound  conclusions.  He  must  know  how  to  analyze 
new  problems;  to  work  out  original  solutions."^  He  must, 
in  brief,  be  the  possessor  of  broad,  constructive  vision  and 
of  direct,  result-producing  mental  powers. 

While  personal  experience  is  good  as  a  basis,  and  varied 
information  obtained  by  intelligent  observations  or  investiga- 
tion is  excellent  as  a  superstructure,  an  employment  manager 
should  not  make  too  much  of  his  own  knowledge.  He  must 
never  think  "he  knows  it  all"  and  must  never  feel  himself 
independent  of  the  foremen  and  other  executives. 

The  Emplo5anent  Manager  as  an  Interviewer 

It  is  as  an  interviewer  that  the  employment  manager  can 
best  demonstrate  his  special  ability,  for  this  particular  func- 
tion requires  a  rare  combination  of  faculties.  He  must  elicit 
information  by  deference  and  intuition ;  he  must  apply  it  with 
tact  and  moderation,  not  forgetting  that  subtle,  all-pervading 
grace  of  true  charity.  He  must  be  above  all  a  "good  listener," 
both  listening  alertly  and  taking  notes  carefully,  not  trusting 
to  his  memory.  Note-taking  also  possesses  other  virtues  which 
inspire  the  applicant  with  confidence  and  set  him  at  his  ease. 
If  the  employment  manager  practices  the  interviewer's  art 
with  assiduity,  he  will  soon  be  able  to  turn  away  applicants 
more  graciously  than  others  can  take  them  on. 

The  craft  of  the  "Complete  Interviewer"  is  more  delicate 
and  complex  than  that  of  the  "Compleat  Angler,"  for  his  fish- 
ing is  for  men. 


*  Harlow  S.  Person,   Dartmouth  College  Bulletin.     United   States  Bureau  of  Labor 
Statistics.     Mo.    196.     May,   191 6. 


20        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

The  Employment  Manager's  Task 

Equipped  with  these  personal  and  mental  characteristics, 
the  ideal  employment  manager,  trained  by  assiduous  practice 
in  the  duties  of  interviewing,  finds  himself  prepared  to  take 
up  his  most  delicate  and  difficult  task  of  properly  hiring,  plac- 
ing, and  constructively  holding  workers;  of  restoring  to  in- 
dustry the  humanizing  influence ;  of  being  a  successful  "trouble 
agent"  and  "pacificator." 


CHAPTER  IV 

ESTABLISHING  AN  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 

Initial  Tasks 

Beginning  his  work  in  a  plant,  the  employment  manager 
is  immediately  confronted  with  three  tasks: 

1.  To  secure  the  co-operation  and  constructive  help  of 

the  executives,  the  foremen,  and  the  workmen. 

2.  To  determine  the  most  effective  staff  for  his  office, 

and  to  choose  the  men  to  form  that  staff. 

3.  To  lay  out  a  plan  for  his  offices  which  will  meet  the 

varied  needs  of  his  department  and  allow  for  future 
change  and  expansion. 

Having  done  these  things  he  is  ready  to  begin  the  actual 
work  of  getting  and  holding  help. 

The  "Council  of  Peace" 

Most  important  and  essential  of  the  tasks  is  that  of  estab- 
lishing friendly  relations  throughout  the  plant.  When  an 
employment  department  is  inaugurated,  there  are  men,  of 
course,  who  will  regard  its  intent  with  aversion,  as  though 
it  were  but  another  of  those  things  which  are  foisted  on  them 
in  the  guise  of  service  or  welfare.  Two  nobler  words  could 
scarcely  be  found  than  "service"  and  "welfare,"  but  at  times 
they  have  been  seriously  abused. 

The  best  way  to  gain  the  required  co-operation  is  to  call 
into  a  general  council  all  the  executive  heads,  foremen,  and 
subbosses,  for  a  free  and  frank  discussion.  This  general 
meeting  should  be  preceded,  however,  by  conferences  and  inter- 

21 


22        DEVELOPMENT  OF  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 

views  with  various  individuals  and  small  groups.  Conferences 
with  those  chiefly  concerned,  such  as  the  general  manager, 
the  works  manager,  and  other  officers  of  the  company,  should 
be  held.  The  foremen  should  be  first  taken  singly,  and  then 
brought  together  in  groups  of  four;  and  the  plan  in  mind 
should  then  be  gone  over  in  detail.  Suggestions  should  be 
encouraged,  in  either  oral  or  written  form.  Some  men  talk 
well  but  cannot  write;  others  hesitate  to  express  themselves 
in  any  open  forum. 

After  such  individual  opinions  have  been  elicited,  and  the 
various  suggestions  and  objections  recorded,  the  general  meet- 
ing of  the  whole  body  of  executives,  foremen,  and  subbosses, 
may  be  called,  for  the  plan  will  then  be  sufficiently  developed 
for  open  discussion.  At  this  meeting  a  scheme  for  administra- 
tion should  be  agreed  upon,  tentative,  of  course,  and  subject 
to  modification.  The  final  plan  will  be  a  gradual  development, 
the  outgrowth  of  subsequent  experience.  Indeed,  no  plan  is  > 
really  final ;  that  is  to  say,  it  can  never  be  iron-bound  and  V 
rigid.  Every  successful  plan  must  be  flexible  and  adjustable 
to  conditions;  its  development  should  be  in  the  nature  of  an 
organic  growth. 

Blazing  a  new  path  may  be  difficult,  but  such  a  meeting 
as  outlined  will  go  far  toward  making  the  way  easier.  A 
United  States  Shipping  Board  bulletin,^  issued  in  1918,  said 
in  this  connection:  "Probably  the  best  way  to  make  the  fore- 
men and  superintendents  understand  the  help  that  the  employ- 
ment manager  can  give  them  is  to  get  them  together  in  a 
body — ^preferably  at  a  luncheon  or  dinner,  as  this  promotes 
a  feeling  of  genuine  fellowship." 

Winning  the  Executives 

Opposition  is  sometimes  met  with  from  executive  heads. 
Such  opposition  is  illustrated  by  the  remark  of  a  superintendent 


*  Bulletin   I.     Handbook    on   Employment   Management.     United   States   Shipping 
Board,    Emergency   Fleet   Corporation.      Philadelphia,    1918. 


ESTABLISHING   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  23 

who  said  to  a  newly  installed  employment  manager:  "If  you 
take  the  authority  of  hiring  and  firing  from  the  foremen, 
I  would  rather  quit  first." 

That  superintendent  thought  he  was  protecting  the  interests 
of  his  firm  in  bolstering  up  a  traditional  privilege  of  the 
foremen.  His  intentions  were  honorable,  but  his  ideas  of  the 
most  advantageous  distribution  of  authority  were  confused. 
This  same  superintendent  was  accustomed  to  check  up  the  fore- 
men on  matters  of  materials  and  machinery,  and  tried  to  save 
every  penny  by  careful  supervision ;  yet  when  it  came  to  hiring 
and  firing  men — a  far  more  delicate  matter — he  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  give  the  foremen  full  sway. 

Most  executive  heads,  however,  are  constructive,  rather 
than  obstructive,  and  considerable  assistance  may  be  expected  •' 
from  them.  They  are  usually  the  first  to  welcome  the  more 
rational  scheme  of  selecting  employees.  Realizing  that  it 
means  a  stopping  of  the  waste  that  comes  from  irregular  and 
unsatisfactory  employment  methods,  they  are  not  troubled 
about  the  details. 

To  gain  the  hearty  support  and  co-operation  of  these  execu- 
tives it  is  usually  necessary  for  the  employment  manager  to 
"sell"  most  of  the  following  ideas,  and  others  of  a  like  nature, 
to  those  not  already  convinced. 

1.  Labor  turnover  is  unnecessarily  large  and  far  too  costly. 
The  employment  department  will  cut  down  this  turnover  and 
thus  greatly  reduce  expenses. 

2.  Breaking  in  new  men  means  lessened  efficiency.  The 
reduced  labor  turnover  means  increased  production. 

3.  The  employment  department  will  co-operate  with  other 
departments  in  the  task  of  training  workers. 

4.  It  will  take  from  them,  also,  the  burden  of  hiring,  and 
by  scientific  methods  will  provide  them  with  capable  employees. 

5.  It  will  furnish  them  with  information  concerning 
general  labor  conditions. 


24        DEVELOPMENT  OF  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 

6.  It  will  anticipate  their  demands  for  workers  and  be 
able  to  tap,  at  a  moment's  notice,  labor  supply  sources  usually 
out  of  reach  of  the  individual  department  head. 

These  points  are  merely  suggestive  of  the  many  which  may 
be  advantageously  used  in  appealing  for  the  support  of  the 
executives  and  department  heads. 

Gaining  the  Foremen's  Support 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  get  the  co-operation  of  the 
foremen.  They  should  be  advised  that  the  employment  depart- 
ment will  shoulder  the  responsibility  of  hiring,  advising,  and 
holding  the  worker,  and  will  relieve  them  of  this  arduous 
task.  They  may  be  reminded  that  they  are  part  and  parcel 
of  the  organization  and  that  the  management  desires  them 
to  feel  that  they  are  helping  to  develop  the  employment  depart- 
ment. It  should  be  made  plain  to  them  that  little,  if  anything, 
can  or  will  be  done  without  their  assistance  and  advice;  that 
success  depends  upon  the  measure  in  which  they  contribute 
their  judgment  and  efforts ;  that  their  role  is  still  to  put  forth 
the  same  effort  for  getting  in  good  men  and  to  exercise  the 
same  care  in  treating  them  considerately;  and  that  they  may 
thus  render  effective  the  efforts  made  in  this  direction  by  the 
employment  manager. 

The  foreman  should  be  made  to  realize  his  growing  respon-i 
sibility  and  solid  importance,  in  place  of  his  former  over- 
weening self-importance.    Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  on 
the  assistance  of  the  foreman  as  an  essential  factor  in  in-  ^ 
dustry.     The  foreman  is  the  man  who  should  be  won  over 
first,  but  the  employment  manager  must  not  be  discouraged  * 
if  he  should  sometimes  be  the  last  to  yield.    The  employment  '^ 
manager  should  deal  with  him  in  a  straightforward,  open^ 
manner,  not  giving  any  ground  for  suspecting  that  anything> 
is  to  be  "put  over  on  him."    Thus  the  foreman  will  realize  ^ 
that  the  employment  manager  is  working  for  the  common 


ESTABLISHING   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  2$ 

interest,  and  that  the  employment  department  is  being  estab- 
lished to  help  him.  Having  grasped  this  fact,  he  will  gladly 
assist  in  the  phases  of  the  work  where  he  and  the  employment 
manager  have  a  common  interest. 

In  this  way  the  employment  manager  will  have  little  trouble 
in  getting  a  fair  trial  for  any  plan  he  may  wish  to  carry  out. 
Every  allowance  must  be  made,  however,  for  the  influence 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  foreman  by  tradition  and  environ- 
ment. Habit,  too,  is  fixed  and  does  not  alter  in  a  day.  There- 
fore the  employment  manager  must  be  patient;  he  should 
recollect  that  "obstacles  are  made  to  be  overcome";  that  the 
bigger  the  task,  the  bigger  the  man  who  accomplishes  it.  In 
spite  of  all  criticism,  he  must  have  courage.  If  the  criticism 
is  constructive,  he  should  welcome  it  and  incorporate  it  in 
the  consecutive  method  of  procedure,  which  he  should  carefully 
plan,  write  out,  and  then  follow.  He  should  put  into  operation 
one  detail  at  a  time  and  be  sure  that  the  wholf  machinery  is 
meanwhile  working  smoothly  and  is  not  brought  to  a  stand- 
still by  some  unexpected  development. 

Showing  the  Foremen  the  Benefits 

The  employment  manager  must  show  the  foremen  in- 
dividually the  disadvantages  of  the  old  regime  and  the  advan- 
tages of  the  new.  He  might  ask  them,  for  instance,  such 
questions  as  these : 

1.  Did  you  not  waste  much  of  your  time,  under  the  old 
system,  doing  clerical  work  ? 

2.  Did  you  not  waste  the  most  important  hour  of  the  day 
— the  morning  hour — interviewing  applicants? 

3.  Were  you  not  thus  taken  out  of  your  proper  sphere 
of  duty? 

4.  Was  not  your  opportunity  for  proper  control  over  your 
men  consequently  diminished? 


26        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

5.  In  losing  legitimate  influence,  did  you  not  have  to  as- 
sume an  autocratic  control,  and  thus  become  anything  but 
popular,  although  you  may  have  been  rendered  a  mock  homage 
by  the  workmen  because  of  your  power  to  hire  and  fire  ? 

These,  and  like  questions,  will  aid  in  pointing  out  to  the 
foremen  that  the  employment  department  is  a  positive  help 
to  them  and  not  a  detriment. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  show  foremen,  who  have  often  felt 
under  compulsion  to  give  their  friends  jobs  which  they  could 
not  properly  fill,  how  much  better  it  would  be,  if,  when  solicited 
for  positions  by  incompetent  friends,  they  could  escape  the 
dilemma  by  casting  the  responsibility  on  the  employment  de- 
partment. For  these  and  other  reasons,  practically  every  level- 
headed foreman  will  agree,  after  a  time,  that  the  establishment 
of  an  employment  department,  will  relieve  him  of  heavy  and 
unnecessary  burdens,  and  that  he  will  be  set  free  to  follow  his 
own  special  task  of  properly  supervising  the  work  of  his 
department  so  as  to  obtain  maximum  efiiciency.  Having  more 
time  to  devote  to  their  proper  functions  of  educating  the  work- 
men, creating  harmony,  maintaining  the  necessary  personal 
touch,  and  bringing  up  the  output  to  normal,  the  foremen  will 
earn  the  real  respect  and  gratitude  of  their  workmen. 

After  having  been  relieved  by  an  employment  department 
of  the  task  of  securing  and  dismissing  employees,  and  after 
noting  the  results  of  the  new  regime,  few  foremen  will  desire 
to  go  back  to  the  old.  The  executive,  moreover,  if  he  has 
had  any  hiring  to  do,  is  usually  glad  to  be  rid  of  it,  because 
he  has  so  many  other  things  to  attend  to  which  he  considers 
of  greater  importance. 

Another  important  function  of  an  employment  department 
Is  to  place  every  man  where  he  has  the  best  chance  for  himself. 
By  doing  thus  the  employment  department  enables  the  worker 
to  benefit  himself,  his  firm,  his  fellow-workers,  and  the  whole 
community;  he  becomes  conscious  of  his  worth  and  gains  in 


ESTABLISHING  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT  27 

self-respect  and  good  citizenship.  The  department  should  be 
the  means,  not  merely  of  adding  men's  names  to  the  pay-roll, 
but  of  harmonizing  their  welfare  with  the  welfare  of  the 
firm,  and  making  of  the  two,  one. 

The  favor  and  co-operation  of  the  workmen  themselves 
can  be  obtained  by  the  employment  manager  by  means  of  such 
devices  as  plant  publications,  personal  conferences  concerning 
grievances,  etc.  The  two  fundamentals,  however,  which  will 
go  farthest  toward  establishing  this  friendly  relationship  are 
honesty  and  justice. 

By  rigidly  adhering  to  these  principles  at  all  times,  regard- 
less of  how  hard  it  may  seem  in  a  particular  case,  the  employ- 
ment manager  will  rapidly  gain  the  co-operation,  assistance, 
and  actual  support  of  the  mass  of  workmen. 

Selecting  the  Staff 

Next  to  gaining  the  good- will  of  everyone  in  the  plant, 
the  most  important  phase  of  installing  an  employment  depart- 
ment is  the  selection  of  an  able  and  competent  staff.  In  making 
such  a  selection,  the  employment  manager  is  working  at  his 
own  trade;  he  must  be  successful  in  choosing  competent  men 
for  his  own  department,  if  they  in  turn  are  to  assist  him 
effectively  in  choosing  men  for  positions  throughout  the  plant. 

The  number  of  people  required  to  staff  an  employment 
office  varies  with  the  size  of  the  plant.  On  a  basis  of  one 
thousand  employees,  there  should  be,  in  addition  to  the  employ- 
ment manager  himself,  one  assistant  who  is  able  to  fill  in 
anywhere,  who  can  take  charge  of  the  office  details,  such  as 
filing,  issuing  badges,  recording  and  tabulating  information 
on  forms,  etc.,  and  following  up  absentees.  The  assistant 
should  know  stenography  as  a  help  in  handling  correspondence. 
There  should  be  also  as  many  file  clerks,  typists,  and  such 
other  competent  office  help  as  the  needs  of  the  work  may 
demand. 


28        DEVELOPMENT  OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

The  Functionalized  Department 

In  a  large  plant,  where  the  total  number  of  employees 
is  about  eight  or  ten  thousand  or  more,  the  work  of  the  employ- 
ment department  is  usually  more  highly  functionalized.  In 
the  work  of  employing  help,  a  number  of  skilled  interviewers 
will  be  needed,  each  trained  for  interviewing  a  particular  type 
of  applicant.  Moreover,  the  tasks  of  developing  sources  and 
channels  of  labor  supply,  investigating  past  records  of  appli- 
cants, handling  the  identification  system,  and  the  keeping  of 
personal  records,  will  all  require  separate  supervisors  to  insure 
proper  handling. 

Different  specialists  should  be  put  in  charge  of  the  training 
of  workers  in  the  use  of  methods  and  appliances  insuring 
safety,  of  the  medical  department,  of  group  relations,  of 
plant  and  civic  betterment,  of  adjustment  of  workers'  griev- 
ances, and  of  general  education. 

It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  lay  down  hard  and  fast  rules 
as  to  the  size  of  the  employment  manager's  staff;  the  exact 
number  must  be  determined  by  the  size  of  the  plant  and  the 
scope  of  the  work.  The  staff  must,  however,  be  large  enough 
to  handle  economically  and  adequately  all  the  detail  and  ad- 
ministrative work  of  the  department.  The  important  thing 
is  that  every  member  of  the  staff  be  chosen  with  care,  and 
that  the  duties  of  every  position  be  clearly  outlined,  so  that 
no  duplication  of  effort  may  occur. 

Viewing  all  the  branches  and  subdivisions  of  personnel 
work  on  the  broadest  possible  lines,  and  assuming  the  func- 
tions to  have  been  centered  under  a  "director  of  personnel" 
in  a  very  large  plant,  the  illustrative  chart  printed  on  the 
opposite  page  (Figure  2),  which  was  prepared  by  Melville 
LaMarche,  employment  expert  with  the  United  States  De- 
partment of  Labor,  gives  a  logical  grouping  and  presenta- 
tion of  the  "human  engineering"  department  in  its  highest 
development. 


ESTABLISHING   EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 


29 


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30        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 

Fundamentals  of  Office  Layout 

To  reach  its  point  of  greatest  effectiveness,  the  work  of 
the  employment  department  must  be  carried  on  in  offices 
especially  designed  for  its  purposes.  The  layout  of  the  employ- 
ment offices  will  vary  with  the  size  of  the  plant  and  the  scope 
of  the  work.  There  may  be  several  rooms,  or  only  one,  if  it 
is  spacious  enough. 

Two  chief  necessities  exist,  however,  in  the  layout  of  any 
employment  office,  large  or  small: 

1.  Men  who  apply  for  positions  should  have  a  convenient 
and  comfortable  place  in  which  to  wait,  provided  with  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  chairs.  Instead  of  crude  stalls,  counter  or 
''pigeon-hole"  partitions,  the  flat-top  desk  or  table  should  be 
provided,  at  which  both  interviewer  and  applicant  should  be 
seated.  If  a  separate  room  is  available  for  interviewing,  that 
is  better  still,  as  it  insures  greater  privacy,  and  space  for  filing 
records.  The  meeting  of  the  ''company"  and  the  applicant 
must  be  under  the  most  favorable  conditions  possible. 

2.  The  records  gathered  by  the  office  should  be  kept  in 
a  section  by  themselves.  These  records  are  extremely  im- 
portant and  usually  of  a  confidential  nature.  They  should  be 
accessible  to  any  authorized  person  but  should  seldom  be 
permitted  to  leave  the  employment  department.  The  records 
which  are  made  up  of  the  forms  themselves — amplifications 
and  summaries  giving  information  regarding  personnel  and 
related  matters  on  charts  and  in  report  form — are  manifestly 
indispensable;  they  are  the  tools  and  exhibits,  the  evidence 
and  the  account  of  all  transactions.  They  must,  then,  be 
accurate,  current,  adequate,  reliable,  and  graphic;  and  they; 
must  be  in  proper  condition  for  convenient  reference. 

The  tentative  plans  for  an  employment  office,  drawn  up 
by  the  Yawman  and  Erbe  Company  during  a  recent  employ- 
ment managers*  convention,  offer  suggestions  of  great  value 
in  planning  the  ideal  employment  office  layout.    These  plans. 


ESTABLISHING   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 


31 


v^ 


Figiire  3.    Suggested  Plan  for  Employinent  Office  in  a  Plant  of  500  to 

5,000  Employees 

Same  ofiBce  for  both  male  and  female  applicants. 


32        DEVELOPMENT   OF   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT 


ESTABLISHING   EMPLOYMENT   DEPARTMENT  33 

see  pages  31  and  32  (Figures  3  and  4),  are  self-explanatory.  A 
careful  study  of  them  will  show  that  they  embody  the  two 
fundamental  necessities  mentioned  above,  as  well  as  many 
minor  features  of  importance. 

Having  established  himself  in  the  plant,  re-enforced  him- 
self by  the  selection  of  a  capable  and  well-equipped  staff  of 
assistants,  and  planned  his  office  in  such  a  way  as  to  make 
for  the  greatest  efficiency,  the  employment  manager  is  ready 
to  undertake  the  actual  work  for  which  he  is  employed. 


PART  II 
GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


CHAPTER  V 
EMPLOYMENT  FORMS— THE  APPLICANT 

Developing  Useful  Forms 

Classified  and  systematized  forms  are  as  essential  to  the 
activities  of  an  employment  department  as  tools  to  a  workman. 
When  prepared  with  care  and  precision,  these  forms  become 
the  very  mechanism  of  the  employment  department.  Conse- 
quently, the  task  of  developing  them  in  detail,  and  of  using 
them  effectively,  is  an  important  one. 

Forms  must  be  made  in  every  case  to  fit  the  need  of  the 
individual  concern.  They  should  not  only  furnish  adequate 
information  but  should  be  as  simple  and  brief  as  possible. 
"Htii^  can  be  the  result  only  of  investigation  and  "cut-and-try 
methods."  They  can  be  derived  from  those  which  are  in 
use  in  other  places,  but  these  borrowings  must  be  adapted  to 
the  requirements  of  a  particular  plant.  By  a  process  of  selec- 
tion, elimination,  combination,  and  adaptation,  forms  are 
evolved  which  are  virtually  original. 

In  preparing  the  material  here  given  concerning  form 
development,  several  sets  of  different  forms  were  arranged 
and  sent  to  interested  foremen,  superintendents,  and  other 
executives,  with  letters  attached  requesting  that  these  trial 
forms  be  used  and  tested.  The  persons  to  whom  they  were 
sent  were  invited  to  reply  in  writing  or  orally,  to  suggest 
how  each  form,  through  additions  and  eliminations,  might  be 
combined  into  what  would  serve  as  a  permanent  set  of  forms. 
This  procedure  was  productive  of  good  results.  Those  receiv- 
ing the  forms  recognized  that  an  attempt  was  being  made  to 
function  through  their  practical  minds — that  the  forms  were 

37 


38  GETTING  EMPLOYEES 

not  mere  examples  of  red  tape;  consequently,  they  accorded 
the  necessary  co-operation.  Results  showed  that  as  many  as 
seven  trial  specimens  of  a  requisition  were  reduced  to  two. 
Another  set  of  five  was  combined  into  one.  The  different 
sets  having  thus  been  reduced  to  one  of  each  kind,  mimeo- 
graphed samples  were  made  in  quantities  and  submitted  to 
the  foremen  with  instructions  as  to  their  use.  Further  correc- 
tions and  additions  of  items  on  them  were  asked  for  until  at 
last  a  practical  set  was  evolved,  and  the  forms  numbered  and 
printed  for  permanent  use. 

As  a  result  the  following  pages  show  a  complete  set  of 
employment  department  forms,  developed  systematically  to 
cover  all  the  departments'  activities.  Altogether,  the  forms  of 
this  set  carry  the  man  from  his  entrance  to  the  plant,  to  the 
time  when  he  finally  severs  his  connections  with  it. 

Application  for  Position  and  Record  of  Employees 

The  application  for  position  form  ( Figure  5 )  is  a  complete 
record  of  an  employee  from  the  time  he  applies  for  work 
until  he  is  withdrawn  from  the  rolls  of  the  company,  never 
to  be  re-employed.  '  It  is  a  digest  of  all  that  can  be  learned 
of  his  experience,  education,  aptitudes  for  particular  tasks,- 
physical  condition — and  indeed,  everything  else  that  can  affect 
his  relations  with  the  firm.  In  addition  to  these  things  it  will 
contain  the  interviewer's  impression  of  him. 

This  form,  when  creased  into  three  sections,  constitutes 
a  folder  5x8  inches.  It  will  be  of  advantage  to  analyze 
in  detail  some  of  the  questions  appearing  on  it. 

The  First  Section  of  the  Form 

"Nearest  Telephone  Number,"  "Present  Address,*'  and 
"Name  and  Address  of  Nearest  Relative."  It  is  often  desir- 
able to  re-employ  a  man  who  was  once  laid  off,  discharged. 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — ^THE  APPLICANT 


39 


roundry  A  Maehlna  C«. 


APPLICATION    FOR   POSITION 


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Figiire  5.     (a)    Application  for  Position  Folder  (first  and  second  folds;  fold 

coming  just  above  list  of  occupations).     (Size  of  complete  folder  8  x  13^-) 

Reverse  of  first  fold  is  Record  of  Employee    (see  Figure  sc). 


40  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

or  who  once  quit.  Furthermore,  in  case  of  injury  or  sickness 
of  an  employee,  some  relative  must  be  notified.  In  such  cases 
the  information  recorded  under  this  head  is  used  for  imme- 
diate reference. 

"Present  Address,"  "Family  Resides,"  and  "Home  Ad- 
dress." This  information  enables  the  employment  department  to 
determine  two  things:  ( i )  How  near  to  the  plant  the  applicant 
lives;  and  (2)  whether  or  not  he  lives  with  his  family.  The 
possibilities  of  a  man's  remaining  on  the  job  for  a  long  period 
are  not  very  good  if  the  address  of  his  family  and  his  home 
are  in  another  city,  or  if,  though  in  the  same  town,  his  place 
of  residence  is  far  from  the  place  of  employment.  Inclement 
weather,  poor  transportation,  etc.,  are  items  to  be  considered 
in  the  selection  of  an  applicant. 

"Date  and  Place  of  Birth,"  "Age,"  "Birthplaces  of  Father 
and  Mother,"  and  "Nationality."  This  information  throws 
light  on  the  mixture  of  nationalities.  The  information,  "First" 
and  "Second  Papers,"  or  "Alien,"  added  to  the  above-men- 
tioned headings,  tell  to  what  extent  the  applicant  may  be 
depended  upon  as  a  permanent  employee,  and  to  what  extent, 
at  least,  he  may  be  expected  to  work  with  Americans.  If 
he  be  of  a  clannish  nationality  or  race,  it  would  probably 
be  best  to  place  him  adjacent  to  or  among  his  kinsfolk.  It  is 
even  advantageous,  as  regards  harmony,  to  place  two  men 
together  who  are  natives  of  the  same  city,  or  even  of  the  same 
state. 

"Married,"  "Single,"  "Widower,"  "Divorced,"  etc.  Mar- 
ried men  are  more  dependable,  because  they  have  greater 
responsibilities.  They  are,  contrary  to  popular  conception, 
more  likely  to  accept  night  work,  and  are  usually  better 
workers.  Having  finished  their  night  work,  they  return  home 
and  put  in  sufficient  sleep  and  become  rested  and  ready  for 
work.  The  single  man,  on  the  other  hand,  in  what  spare 
time  he  has  or  can  get,  feels  that  he  has  social  duties  to  per- 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE   APPLICANT  4I 

form,  and  in  performing  them  loses  much  sleep.  As  a  result 
he  is  not  as  efficient  as  the  married  workman.  A  divorced 
man  may  not  work  with  as  great  ease  of  mind,  for  example, 
if  he  has  alimony  to  pay,  for  he  probably  thinks  it  an  injus- 
tice. Or  he  may  be  of  a  combative  personality,  one  hard  to 
get  along  with.  The  matrimonial  status  of  a  man,  whatever 
it  may  be,  is  likely  to  be  a  strong  factor  in  making  his  work 
effective  or  ineffective. 

"Number,  Sex  and  Age  of  Children."  These  factors  are 
important  in  selecting  applicants.  A  man  with  eight  de- 
dendents  rarely  works  with  as  easy  a  mind  as  a  man  who  with 
similar  pay  has  three  or  four  dependents. 

*'Names  of  Relatives  Employed  Here  and  Positions  Held." 
If  an  applicant  is  advised  to  apply  for  a  job  by  a  relative, 
or  comes  of  his  own  accord  because  he  has  a  relative  in  the 
plant,  it  is  likely  that  the  relative  will  lend  him  a  helping  hand 
and  assist  him  to  become  familiar  with  the  place  and  the 
work.  On  the  other  hand,  however,  the  fact  of  having  a 
relative  may  lead  to  relaxation  of  discipline  or  undue 
favoritism. 

"Religious  Preference  or  Denomination."  This  is  an  op- 
tional question,  but  the  answer,  if  given,  is  useful  to  the 
employment  office.  Men  of  similar  religious  beliefs  harmonize 
better. 

"Member  of  Any  Labor  or  Fraternal  Organization."  Men 
so  affiliated  as  a  rule  work  well  together.  Having  interests  in 
common,  they  are  usually  more  congenial.  Especially  is  this 
true  of  fraternal  organizations  that  make  thorough  investiga- 
tions of  candidates'  characters,  or  whose  fraternal  obligations 
are  such  as  demand  integrity.  In  certain  cases,  of  course, 
men  of  the  same  lodge  or  union  may  be  better  separated. 

"Schooling."  The  amount  of  schooling  the  applicant  has 
had  must  not  be  overlooked.  Even  the  making  out  of  time 
cards  requires  at  least  a  common  school  education.     A  high 


42  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

school  graduate  will  possess  more  general  information  than 
a  common  school  graduate,  and  will  appreciate  being  placed 
on  a  job  that  requires  intelligence.  The  workman  who  has 
had  the  courage,  ambition,  and  persistence  to  attend  and 
graduate  from  a  trade,  business,  technical,  or  correspondence 
school  may  have  special  qualifications,  as  may  other  self- 
educated  men. 

"Ever  Worked  Here  Before" ;  "Under  What  Foreman." 
If  the  applicant  has  worked  in  the  plant  before,  the  answer  to 
this  question  enables  the  employment  department  to  learn 
something  about  him  from  one  of  the  foremen. 

"Where  Employed  Now."  It  is  not  always  advisable, 
except  by  common  consent,  to  hire  men  promiscuously  from 
other  plants,  for  such  a  practice  encourages  the  shifting  of 
men  from  one  plant  to  another. 

"Where  Last  Employed."  Information  from  this  source 
makes  possible  a  check  on  the  applicant's  truthfulness  regard- 
ing his  discharge,  lay-off,  or  voluntary  leaving. 

"Cause  of  Leaving."  If  the  provocations  for  leaving  places 
of  employment  are  very  slight,  the  grievances  complained  of, 
in  all  probability,  are  imaginary.  This  can  be  judged  from  the 
causes  stated. 

The  answers  to  these  three  questions  furnish  an  insight 
into  the  likes  and  dislikes  of  the  applicant  and  indicate  his 
capacity  for  holding  a  job  under  varying  conditions. 

"Use  Intoxicants  or  Drugs" ;  "Smoke  Excessively."  One 
who  smokes  incessantly  may  respond  to  his  craving  by  leaving 
his  job  to  steal  a  smoke.  If  he  indulges  in  intoxicants,  his 
efficiency  may  be  affected  not  only  by  the  possibility  of  lost 
time,  but  by  impaired  mental  and  physical  health. 

"Union,"  "Non-Union,"  "Independent."  The  answer  to 
these  questions  will  govern  the  action  of  the  employment  de- 
partment, according  to  the  view  taken  by  the  firm  concerning 
such  relations. 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE  APPLICANT  43 

"Have  You  a  Trade?  What  Experience?"  The  answer 
to  this  question  indicates  the  kind  and  number  of  the  appli- 
cant's trades  and  industrial  experiences.  He  may,  for  instance, 
have  a  machinist's  trade  and  have  served  the  required  full 
three  or  four  years  of  apprenticeship. 

**Did  You  Serve  an  Apprenticeship?"  The  answer  will 
indicate  the  amount  of  time  served;  and  whether  or  not  an 
apprenticeship  has  been  served  according  to  the  requirements 
of  the  particular  trade.  The  applicant  may  not  have  com- 
pleted his  apprenticeship,  but  by  association  and  contact  may 
have  become  experienced  in  a  particular  line  of  work. 

"Present  Occupation.'!  What  the  applicant  is  doing  now 
may  be  entirely  different  from  anything  mentioned  in  the 
number  of  trades  he  possesses,  from  that  in  which  he  has 
served  an  apprenticeship,  or  from  his  experiences.  An  appli- 
cant's present  occupation  should  familiarize  him  with  whatever 
work  he  expects  to  do. 

"For  What  Work  Are  You  Best  Adapted?"  The  man 
who  has  served  an  apprenticeship  at  a  trade  may  discover  and 
feel  that  he  is  adapted  for  a  different  line  of  work. 

"Position  Desired."  The  position  desired  may  be  perhaps 
that  of  a  foreman,  draftsman,  or  a  job  on  a  lathe  with  a 
chance  to  learn  tool-making.  A  man  always  works  better 
when  his  heart  as  well  as  his  body  is  in  his  work. 

"Willing  to  Work  As."  Regardless  of  his  qualifications 
for  various  trades,  the  applicant  may  be  willing  to  work  at 
anything  that  happens  to  be  open.  Because  of  there  being 
no  other  jobs  open,  with  or  without  future  possibilities  of 
promotion  in  view,  an  applicant  for  a  foreman  job  may  be 
willing  to  accept  a  job  as  lathe  hand  or  even  as  a  laborer. 

"Are  You  Willing  to  Work  Shifts,  Nights  or  Overtime?" 
The  answer  enables  an  applicant  to  be  placed  more  advanta- 
geously. It  indicates  what  liberty  may  be  taken  in  assigning 
him  permanently  and  in  changing  his  working  periods. 


44  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

"At  What  Salary  Are  You  Willing  to  Start?"  The  appli- 
cant's earnestness  in  coming  to  the  plant  and  his  hopes  for 
future  promotion  are  revealed  by  his  answer  to  this  question. 
Moreover,  the  consistency  of  his  request  with  the  number  of 
his  dependents  and  the  amount  of  his  previous  earnings  can 
be  determined. 

"When  Could  You  Commence  Work?"  This  answer  in- 
dicates whether  or  not  the  applicant  is  without  work  at  present. 
If  he  is  not  employed  and  |)ostpones  the  date  of  coming  to 
work,  it  may  mean  that  he  is  shiftless,  unless  he  gives  some 
valid  reason  for  postponement.  If  he  is  at  present  engaged, 
but  is  willing,  contrary  to  general  ethical  practice,  to  vacate 
his  place  without  serving  notice,  it  may  be  presumed  that  he 
will  repeat  the  act  at  another  plant. 

"Do  You  Want  a  Permanent  Job?  If  Temporary,  For 
How  Long?"  There  may  be  temporary  jobs  into  which  those 
who  desire  them  may  fit  admirably.  If  the  job  is  a  permanent 
one,  an  employer  of  labor  hardly  wants  a  man  who  desires 
to  work  only  temporarily — one  who  merely  wishes  to  earn 
a  little  side  money — or  one  who  is  taking  a  job  while  waiting 
to  be  called  elsewhere. 

The  Second  Section 

On  the  second  section  of  the  folder,  which  is  an  adaptation 
of  the  government  employment  blanks,  the  applicant  is  advised 
to  check  off  occupations  in  which  he  may  have  some  knowledge 
or  ability,  those  at  which  he  may  be  skilled,  and  the  years  of 
experience  in  each. 

"Outline  Previous  Experience;  First  Best,  and  Second 
Best."  Here  should  be  inserted  details  concerning  occupa- 
tions in  which  the  applicant  has  been  employed  the  longest 
time  and  in  which  he  has  had  the  greatest  experience. 

"Name  of  Unlisted  Occupations."  This  space  is  reserved 
for  the  purpose  of  naming  those  occupations  which  are  not 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE  APPLICANT  45 

listed  in  the  group,  but  which  may  nevertheless  reveal  fit- 
ness for  work  done  in  the  factory  in  which  he  is  an  applicant 
for  employment.    This  is  valuable  for  future  reference. 

^'Previous  Employment."  In  this  space  the  applicant  in- 
serts the  names  and  addresses  of  previous  employers. 

"Nature  of  Position  and  Length  of  Service."  Nature  of 
position  should  be  consistent  with  the  information  furnished 
by  the  application  in  answer  to  the  queries  regarding  "Previous 
Experience,"  "Unlisted  Occupations,"  and  with  "Position 
Desired"  and  "Willing  to  Work  As."  The  answer  shows 
also  whether  or  not  these  positions  are  in  any  way  allied  to 
various  jobs  in  the  particular  plant. 

Other  important  factors  in  judging  an  applicant's  worth 
are:  the  amount  of  time  he  has  remained  at  different  jobs; 
whether  he  is  steady  or  shifting;  his  reasons  for  leaving  his 
jobs;  and,  lastly,  whether  his  leaving  is  owing  to  circum- 
stances beyond  his  control  or  to  some  peculiarity  of  character 
that  makes  him  persona  non  grata  to  his  employers  or  fellow- 
workmen. 

"Other  References."  Spaces  are  provided  for  references 
to  persons  in  private  or  business  life,  other  than  those  who 
have  employed  the  applicant. 

The  applicant  by  his  "Signature"  declares  the  foregoing 
answers  to  be  true.  A  notation  is  next  made  stating  whether 
the  filling  in  of  the  application  was  done  in  the  employment 
office  or  sent  in  by  mail. 

If  the  person  is  requested  to  report,  date  and  hour  are 
given.  The  note  of  "Result"  indicates  whether  the  applicant 
was  employed,  or  whether  his  application  was  merely  filed 
for  future  reference. 

"Signature  of  Interviewer."  When  this  is  affixed,  the 
responsibility  for  any  errors,  omissions,  or  misunderstandings 
is  placed  oii  the  person  who  conducted  the  interview. 

"Employed   for  Department."     This  information,   when 


46  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

recorded,  offers  a  comparison  with  other  forms.  It  insures 
that  the  employee  is  properly  placed,  consistently  with  the 
records. 

"Remarks."  This  space  is  reserved  for  any  personal  com- 
ments or  additional  facts,  impressions,  etc.,  that  the  interviewer 
may  desire  to  put  on  record. 

Up  to  this  point  the  person  interviewed  is  yet  an  applicant. 
If  there  is  no  work  for  him,  or  if  there  is  no  intention  of 
placing  him  at  that  time  or  in  the  near  future,  this  information 
is  filed  away  among  the  "Candidates  for  Position  File,"  sub- 
ject to  future  call. 

If  there  is  a  position  which  the  applicant  can  fill,  and  if 
he  is  ready  to  go  to  work  at  once  or  within  a  reasonable  length 
of  time,  the  following  data  are  gathered. 

The  Third  Section — Physical  Identifications^ 

"Height."  Determines  adaptability  and  fitness  for  certain 
work  and  machines. 

"Weight"  and  "Build."  Similarly  determines  adaptability 
and  fitness  for  certain  work  and  machines. 

"Color  of  Eyes,  Hair,  and  Complexion."  Serves  as  a 
means  of  identification. 

"Appearance:  Robust,  Medium,  or  Delicate."  The  answer 
would  govern  the  placing  of  an  employee  on  a  strenuous  or 
easy  job. 

"Characteristic  Marks."  Missing  fingers  and  facial  marks, 
crossed  eyes,  moles,  distorted  features,  etc.,  are  helpful  as 
means  of  identification,  and  also  serve  as  guides  for  placing 
applicants.  A  missing  finger  or  crossed  eyes  or  one  blind  eye 
might  disqualify  a  man  for  certain  jobs. 


*  The  questions  asked  by  the  interviewer,  on  the  section  marked  "Physical  Identifica- 
tions," are  used  only  by  the  employment  department  in  the  absence  of  a  medical 
department.  Questions  pertaining  to  health  are  answered  and  signed  by  the 
applicant.  This  assists  the  employment  department  either  in  rejecting  the  employee 
or  placing  him  to  the  best  advantage.  When  the  bottom  of  the  sheet  is  reached, 
the  interviewer  requests  the  applicant  to  read  the  contents,  to  agree  to  conditions, 
and  to  affix  his  signature,  thereby  avoiding  future  misunderstandings. 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE   APPLICANT  47 

The  above  items  are  filled  in  by  the  interviewer  and  are 
mainly  the  result  of  his  own  observations. 

"Chronic  Ailments."  The  fact  that  an  insurance  company 
has  rejected  an  applicant  because  of  a  specific  ailment  would 
immediately  bar  him  from  certain  jobs.  On  the  more  hazard- 
ous jobs,  as  in  the  vicinity  of  cranes  or  revolving  machinery, 
liability  to  vertigo  would  be  undesirable. 


PHYSICAL    IDENTIFICATIONS 

H^  S'^. 5*fe /<^^^ 5-- J^^^;.^ 

•'^      f  **•*-  ^-^ Stfias _,._ ^,__ 

,■>,,      ■■■■■      -^^  r,.^         ^  /T^ 


<;%,  o— T^>._Fi-p.  _      OZo  i^i^fu^  j2ZiL. 


^^•m:^ 


y^  o^^^^^._^^ 


Tf^Jt^'fSun^ 


sf=^=:^ 


Kp//W/l^1.|   JLvyuZlv  ,,.^^- 


Figure  5.     (b)  Application  for  Position  Folder  (third  fold) 

"Consumption  in  Family."  A  query  regarding  tuberculosis 
in  the  applicant's  family  is  preferable  to  asking  the  applicant 
directly  whether  or  not  he  is  afflicted  with  the  disease.  This 
question,  however,  often  elicits  the  required  information  about 
the  applicant  himself.  His  family  may  be  predisposed  to 
consumption,  but  he  may  be  free  from  the  trouble,  and  yet 
it  would  be  inadvisable  to  put  him  at  a  job  where  there  is  too 
much  dust  or  heat. 

"Spitting  Blood."  This  is  not  only  an  annoyance,  but 
causes  loss  of  time  and  disqualifies  the  applicant  for  certain 
grades  of  work. 

"Chronic    Diarrhoea."      If    present    it    occasions    leaving 
work  too  frequently,  and  is  debilitating. 


48  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

"Piles;  Difficulty  in  Urinating;  Gall  Stones."  Such  afflic- 
tions prevent  one  from  working  with  physical  ease. 

"Female  Trouble."  Among  the  women  workers  this  may 
necessitate  loss  of  time  periodically. 

"Rheumatism."  This  trouble  would  prevent  an  applicant 
from  occupying  a  position  involving  too  much  standing,  or 
working  in  the  midst  of  moisture. 

"Venereal  Disease."  Venereal  disease  eliminates  appli- 
cants because  it  is  contagious.  It  is  the  duty  of  employers 
to  protect  their  employees  from  such  dangers. 

"Heart  Trouble."  This  occasions  fear  of  overdoing,  and 
too  strenuous  work  is  dangerous. 

"Ruptured."  Such  disability  precludes  a  man  being  put 
on  work  requiring  lifting,  carrying,  pulling,  or  anything  in- 
volving strain  on  the  abdominal  muscles. 

"Back  Disease."  This  disease  renders  one  liable  to  com- 
plications from  stooping  or  bending  or  in  any  way  straining 
the  back. 

"Headaches."  A  constant  annoyance,  which  prevents  the 
doing  of  work  carefully  and  accurately. 

"Having  Undergone  a  Serious  Surgical  Operation,"  or 
"Having  Had  Broken  Bones."  A  man  who  has  had  a  serious 
operation  is  predisposed,  on  strenuous  work,  to  undo  nature's 
healing.  A  lawsuit  may  result  for  which  the  company  should 
not  be  held  responsible. 

"Defects  of  Sight."     If  a  man  is  near-sighted,  it  may 
necessitate  him  getting  too  close  to  the  machine  or  work  for  ] 
safety.     If  too  far-sighted,  he  may  not  be  able  to  get  close  ^ 
enough  to  the  work  to  perform  it  with  perfection.     A  man. 
whose  eyes  do  not  focus  together  cannot  do  work  requiring* 
exactitude  and  accurate  alignment. 

"Hearing."  Defective  hearing  may  be  advantageous, 
where  a  person  does  work  requiring  concentration  or  accuracy 
in  the  neighborhood  of  loud  noises.     On  the  other  hand,  it. 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE   APPLICANT  49 

prevents  receiving  instructions  clearly  and  definitely.  Acute 
sense  of  hearing  enables  the  listener  to  detect  faulty  running 
machinery  and  also  to  avoid  any  audible  danger. 

"Right  or  Left  Handed."  On  certain  types  of  machines, 
the  left-handed  man  frequently  "gets  in  his  own  way"  and 
must  work  at  a  disadvantage.  That  is  to  say,  because  of  the 
structure  of  the  machine  at  which  he  is  working,  his  left  hand 
(with  which  he  is  working)  will  obstruct  his  view  and  cause 
him  often  to  alter  his  position.  Thus  he  will  lose  both  time 
and  patience. 

"Ambidextrous."  Time  and  motion  studies  have  proved 
it  possible  to  accomplish  more  by  working  simultaneously  with 
both  hands  in  many  operations. 

"Is  Health  Good  at  Present?"  This  answer  verifies  or 
proves  inconsistencies  with  previous  statements. 

• 
The  Reverse  Side  of  Form 

On  the  reverse  si4e  (which  becomes  the  visible  part  of 
the  folder  when  folded)  is  the  "Record  of  Employee."  When 
it  has  been  definitely  determined  where  the  applicant  has  been 
assigned  or  placed,  note  is  "made^of  the  clock  "Yiumberf  the 
department  to  which  he  has  been  sent,  and  the  date.  The 
key  is  used  to  indicate  that  he  is  being  employed,  or  re-em- 
ployed, or  transferred,  or  discharged,  etc.,  as  set  forth  in  full. 
When  a  man  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the  company  for  a 
certain  period,  a  report  is  obtained  from  the  foreman  relative 
to  his  ability,  deportment,  skill  as  a  producer,  character,  and 
conduct.  This  information  is  checked  ofT  on  the  leaf,  "Record 
of  Employee."  Change  of  rates,  transfers,  discharges,  length 
of  service,  etc.,  are  all  placed  on  this  same  leaf.  It  is  not 
until  the  accepted  employee  is  actually  at  work,  that  the  blank 
spaces  on  this  leaf  are  filled.  All  summarized  data  concerning 
an  employee  during  his  employment  are  subsequently  recorded 
on  this  leaf  and  filed  for  ready  reference. 


50 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


"Marital  Conditions"  are  indicated  on  the  form  by  letters 
as  follows: 


M.  Married 
S.    Single 
W.  Widower 
W.  Widow 
D.  Divorced 


E.  Excellent 
G.  Good 

F.  Fair 
B.  Bad 


RECORD   OF   EMPLOYES 


MARIT  AL  CONDITIONS' 


CHARACTCR'ANO  CONDUCT 


Figure  5.     (c)   Application  for  Position  Folder  (third  fold  of  reverse) 

"Dependents."  Information  concerning  dependents  is  of 
inestimable  value  to  the  employment  department. 

These  applications  are  filed  separately  for  males  and 
females  in  what  is  known  as  the  "candidate  file" — a  file  which 
refers  to  persons  who  have  not  yet  been  assigned  to  work  but 
who  may  be  sent  for  at  any  time. 

The  "live  file"  contains  the  names  of  persons  who  are  at 
present  in  the  employ  of  the  company.  The  "dead  file"  con- 
tains the  names  of  those  who  have  left  the  employ  of  the 
company. 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS — THE  APPLICANT  5 1 

Office  Positions 

The  application  for  position  (office)  form  (Figure  6)  is 
virtually  the  same  as  the  "application  for  position"  folder, 
except  that  it  is  a  loose-leaf  page  and  may  be  filed  in  a  book 


•  •MoMMC*.  APPLICATION  FOR  POSITION-OFFICE 


tU^m^TiLNr. 


r««ri*« Or 


^"t-f'-l"!   ' 


»     II        *1>'lr 


m^.- 


^& 


<}UT1.INE    PREVIOUS    EXPERIENCE 


L-^. 


PRCVIOUS    EWPLOYMEWT 


I  fctntr  <««*■«  <M«  *«  « 


:^ 


Figure  6,    Application  for  Position — Ofi&ce.     (Size  8^x11.) 


52 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Machinists  Foundry  . 


Requisition  No 4-AyA. 

REQUISITION  FOR  AN  EMPLOYEE 

To  Bmploment  DepartmerU :  Date V2ia<t^.JZ      .19 

Please  furnish  for ~Z^C>lG£..u&£^.ilinf. ^ — ..Departmagt W- 

One... '^jelJmoM^ JJate-i-^?^:™ 


^.Mm jr.. ...... 


T 


Should  have  the  following  qnalities 


: QAf, 


Male  ...*<r 
Female ' . .. 
Temporary 


«^ 


Day 

Night 


Hours    f^.. 


(s/eMc, 


Write  below  your  idea  of  the  requirements  for  the  position  -..^'?£s£/^.ZK<^/i.^^fi«c^..^..yKf««<:^£s4. 

Time  received  at  Employment  Departmeni  ^..5^..*rX..yV^._ _  yH^,...li/Afi<zyU'l 

_ .-.^ ^Ot^lS^nzakHir:^ Y .,. 

When  pomible  allow  at  least  three  days  fbr  ailing  tUa  raqnisitioo.    One  requisition  used  for  each  employee.  


Figure  7.     Requisition  for  an  Individual  Employee.     (Size  8x5 


«.c..„i.t.  round.  *MscMn.c.  REQUISITION  FOR  EMPLOYES       ^eSmon  NcKMia. 

To  EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT:  Date,  ^//c^Z^   /^ 19 

Please  employ  *»■•       -&-/m^A^ll^H^     rj/y/?/T Department  the  following: 


PIECE  OR 
DAY  RATE 
AMOUNT 


PERMANENT 

OR  TEMPORARY 

UNTIL 


Remarks   ^^^^^    -^xJtP^t^^  f^/Zy.    J/T  7^v:/ytfyt^^^/'^  ^Tf^  /^>7?»^^^>?y    ^ 
Time  Received  at  Employment  Dept //!?  M .  ^7^. ^^,  /^T^Zi^/'^,  T^A*, 


Figure  8.  Collective  Requisition  for   a  Niimber  of  Employees. 
(Size  8x5.) 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE  APPLICANT 


53 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  &  MACHINE  CO. 

SUMMARY 
LABOR  REQUISITION                          SEMI-WEEKLY 

ENDING 

NO. 
REO 

KINDOFWORK 

M 

FE 

PC 

DAY 

SH 
D 

in 

N 

RATE 

NO. 
HIRECr 

>I0. 
REP. 

M 

FE 

BALANCE 
NEEDED 

HACHINt  OPft. 

MOTOR 

ASSEMBLERS 

SKILLED  LABOR 

SHOP  LABOR 

■ 

MOULDERS 

CORE  MAKtRS 

■ 

FOUNDRY  LABOR 

MISCELLANEOUS 

1 

Figure  9.     Summary  Labor  Requisition.     (Size  83^  x  11.) 

No.  Reg.     Number  required  D.     Day 

M.     Male 


FE.     Female 
PC.     Piece  work 


N.     Night 
No.  Rep.     Number  who  have 
reported 


54  GETTING   EMPLOYEES^ 

kept  by  the  employment  department.  One  side  only  is  shown, 
as  the  reverse  side  contains  the  same  information  as  the  folder 
just  described. 

Requisition  Forms 

When  the  foreman  needs  an  individual  employee  he  uses 
the  form  shown  in  Figure  7,  filling  it  out  in  duplicate.  The 
form  is  used  particularly  in  requisitioning  skilled  workers. 
The  original  is  sent  to  the  employment  department,  as  a 
requisition  for  a  man  in  accordance  with  the  specifications. 
The  duplicate  remains  in  the  foreman's  possession  for  purposes 
of  record.  The  foreman  is  requested  to  anticipate  his  needs 
three  days  in  advance,  if  possible. 

A  collective  requisition  (see  Figure  8)  is  likewise  furnished 
to  department  foremen  for  use  in  a  manner  similar  to  the 
one  above  mentioned.  The  request  on  this  form,  however, 
is  for  several  men,  and  should  be  confined  to  the  requisitioning 
of  common  and  semiskilled  types,  i.e.,  five  laborers,  five 
truckers,  etc.  Like  the  other  form,  it  is  sent  to  the  employment 
department  for  attention. 

The  information  from  the  requisition  forms  is  epitomized 
on  the  summary  labor  requisition  sheet  (Figure  9)  every 
Wednesday  and  Saturday.  From  it  the  employment  manager 
can  tell  at  a  glance  the  needs  of  the  various  departments.  He 
can  also  show  a  balance  of  the  number  hired  and  required. 

The  symbols  in  their  order  from  left  to  right  are: 

No.  Req.  Number  of  employ-  Pc.    Piece  Work 

ees  required  D.    Day 

M.    Male  N.    Night 
Fe.  Female 

One  can  tell  the  entire  number  of  men  it  is  still  necessary 
to  hire  without  having  to  refer  to  each  individual  requisition. 


CHAPTER  VI 

EMPLOYMENT  FORMS— THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE 

Employees'  Information  Permit 

The  employees'  information  permit  (Figure  lo)  is  used 
exclusively  by  the  employment  department  to  assist  in  secur- 


MACHINISTS   FOUNDRY  A  MACHINE  CO. 
•t.  Loul*.  P*. 

EMPLOYEES'  INFORMATION  PERMIT 

I  hereby  authorise  the  persons  named  as  references  and  those  as  former  employers,  to  tehom 
the  Machinists  Foundry  &  Machine  Co.  may  apply  for  any  information  concerning  my  character, 
ability,  disposition  and  a  complete  history  of  my  employment  and  especially  statement  of  cause  or 
their  surmise  of  cause  for  leaving  their  employment  or  the  employment  of  umy  person,  hereby  re- 
leasing each  of  them  from  any  and.  all  liability  for  damages  of  every  nature  on  account  of  furnishing . 


I  likewise  authorixe  the  Machinists  Foundry  &  Maclune  Co.  to  furnish  information  as"  to 
similar  matters  learned  during  my  employment,  whether  during  or  after  my  employment  with  it, 
including  a  statement  or  belief  as  to  the  cause  for  my  leaving  its  employment  to  such  person  or 
persons  as  I  may  apply  to  for  employment;  hereby  releasing  the  Machinists  Foundry  &  Machine 
Co.  from  any  and  ail  liabHUy  for  damages  of  every  nature  whatsoever  on  account  of  furnishing 


!Jii)i^.]LidL. 

I    Signature  of  Applicant 


Figure  lo.     Information  Permit  on  Employee's  Record.     (Size  8x4%) 

ing  data  regarding  an  applicant's  character  and  the  history 
of  his  previous  employment. 

The  form  is  made  and  signed  in  duplicate;  the  original 
copy  is  attached  to  the  inquiry  regarding  applicant's  form 
(Figure  11),  when  mailed  to  the  firm  or  individual  from  whom 
information  is  requested;  the  duplicate  is  filed  in  the  appli- 
cant's folder  for  purposes  of  record.  The  use  of  this  permit 
is  optional  as  a  rule;  most  firms  will  not  consider  it 
necessary. 

55 


56 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


E  KMFLOYP4ftHT  OCmUITMKNT 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  &  MACHINE  CO. 

EMPLOYMENT  DEPARTMENT 


INQUIRY  REGARDING  APPUCANTS 

.  StLouis,  Pa, /^^....^ « 

M^.(2Mia7i^...»AeA...  t£?. - 


f^.. 


Dear  Sir. 

M fif(rt&*id.a,ift£ 

years 


■^lJ   / 


.,  BS^ '??ta£A,C4U^it^.£i^£/.... 


*  states   f  was  in  your'employ  for. 


has  applied  to  us  for  a  position 
2^^. 


t<Z[i!-i^..  and   worked  under 

..^?z^..2^.J^.^£z<:^^(27i. j2^S^_ 

^      if  convenient   wM  you  kindly  answer  all/questions  on  bottom  of  this  sheet  by  checking  off  items 
thereon,  and  give  any  additional  information  that  would  be  helpful. 

Accept  this  as  an  assurance  that  any  information  furnished  by  you  will  be  considered  confidential 
and  it  will  be  very  much  appreciated. 

We  will  be  pleased  to  answer  similar  questions  at  any  time  and  thank  you  for  answering  ours. 
Yours  very  obligingly, 

MACHINISTS  ^FOUNDRY  <&  MACHINE  CO. 


zijm 


.Jm^^f£^.jz^^gukd£.. 


^. 


■^  ^^.^^n ...^i^^r^,- 


Was  la  our  Employ  from. 

Position  Z%a^eAiatai^..aM/:^.:^^i!i£ai,..jJ!£c/f:^ 


ofj?::ss?.^.7futfai 


Discharged 
.Laid  Off 


for  the  reason  of 

'Cou^e!teaC.^fa£a^u>enmt..a<M^^                                          

Ability  warn 

D«portm«it  was 

'        8M.IW.. 

As  a  Producer 

Good            £9 
Fair              O 
floor             O 

Obedient     O 
Regular      jSi 
Cautious      O 
Agitator      O 

Excellent     (8> 
Average     C 
Poor           O 

Fast              O 
Medium       23 
Slow           O 

Honest        O          '  Dishonest        C 
Steady       jS             Unreliable        O 
Loyal         JS             Caivlesa          O 
Regular      O            Indifferent       C 

Would  you  re-employ  him  ? 

( Independent 
Connections    \  Union 

I  Unknown 


Yes 

No 
O 
O 

o 


Any  Additional  Facts:  ^  Zm^  ^441^  a,  H^^M/to/^ 


Figure  n.    Inquiry  Regarding  Applicant,     (Size  8}^  x  lo^) 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS — THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE    57 

Inquiry  Regarding  Applicants 

The  inquiry  regarding  applicant's  form  (Figure  ii)  is  used 
(with  information  permit  attached)  by  the  employment  depart- 
ment to  obtain  from  an  applicant's  references  information 
regarding  his  character  and  history. 

The  information  desired  is  detailed  in  such  a  manner  that 
it  is  necessary  only  to  check  off  those  points  regarded  as  im- 
portant concerning  the  applicant.  Thus  the  person  to  whom 
reference  has  been  made  is  relieved  of  the  necessity  of  writing 
a  long  letter  and  taxing  his  mind  unnecessarily;  moreover, 
he  is  prevented  from  omitting  important  information.  The 
title  of  the  signer  gives  the  measure  of  the  value  and  reliability 
of  the  information  furnished. 

Vocational  Fitness 

The  vocational  fitness  card  (Figure  12)  contains  the  con- 
centrated information,  transferred  from  the  application  folder, 
(Figure  5)  concerning  an  applicant's  vocational  fitness. 

On  it  is  noted  the  information  obtained  from  the  applica- 
tion blank,  clearly  summarized  so  that  it  may  be  read  at  a 
glance.  It  shows  what  are  the  applicant's  first-best  and  second- 
best  trades  or  aptitudes;  what  he  is  adapted  for;  what  he 
desires ;  what  he  is  willing  to  do ;  what  job  he  is  assigned  to ; 
whether  he  is  being  re-employed,  transferred,  discharged,  or  ^ 
laid  off ;  and,  finally,  any  general  remarks  that  are  pertinent. ' 

Before  the  permanent  information  is  transferred  to  the 
card,  the  data  on  the  application  folder  form  and  the  results 
of  the  interview  have  to  be  brought  together,  and  one  fact 
weighed  with  another  somewhat  as  an  algebraic  equation  is 
resolved.  The  conclusion  may  be  expressed,  perhaps,  in  two 
words. 

It  is  not,  of  course,  what  the  applicant  thinks  he  is  "best 
fitted  for,"  or  what  he  deems  he  is  "second-best  fitted  for," 
but  the  trained  judgment  of  the  employment  manager  which 


58  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

decides  this  vocational  point  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  the 
applicant  and  the  firm.  To  be  successful,  the  employment 
manager  has  to  assemble  all  the  data  regarding  the  applicant. 
If  an  applicant  has  not  been  assigned,  and  a  need  has 
arisen  in  any  of  the  five  positions  for  which  he  is  listed  on 
his  vocational  fitness  card,  and  if  his  card  demonstrates  him 
to  be  the  man  wanted,  he  is  sent  for  and  installed  accordingly. 
Where  a  man,  assigned  to  any  of  the  positions  listed  on  his 
card  is  subsequently  discharged,  laid  off,  or  transferred,  this 


Machinists  Foundry  A  Meohlne  Co.  Application  No /t^. 

VOCATIONAL   FITNESS 

Yi^m^W^Mm^of^TTlCm. Age.«M 

Address JZf  mZ^,,,^t^ 

First  "R^i^t  ^ClcA2*tcdt^ Sec.  Best  4^^£^4^i:;^i:»r«... 

Desires  ^S^CyCi^Sf/tot^.'^^Si^ 

Willing    Jlo^^^  Aa^^       ^ 

Assigned  to /5^ai:S^^.^^!£<2Sj^  9^au  fZ  i% 

Re-employ Discharged /.. 

Do  Not Laid  Off 

Transferred — ^ Remarks 


Figure  12.     Vocational  Fitness  Card.     (Size  5x3.) 

information  is  duly  recorded  in  the  spaces  provided.  When 
an  applicant  has  been  discharged  or  laid  off  for  reasons  not 
militating  against  his  re-employment,  and  a  vacancy  occurs 
for  which  he  is  fitted  according  to  his  vocational  fitness  card, 
he  is  sent  for  and  given  re-employment.  The  item  "Re- 
employed" should  then  be  filled  in.  If  his  discharge  card  or 
the  foreman's  report  concerning  him  recommends  that  he  be 
not  re-employed,  and  if  the  employment  manager's  judgment 
agrees  with  that  of  the  foreman,  the  vocational  fitness  card 
should  be  checked  on  the  line  "Do  Not,"  and  then  taken  from 
the  current  file,  and  put  in  the  dead  file. 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS — ^THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE    59 

Using  the  Vocational  Fitness  Card 

From  his  experience  of  many  jobs  and  their  requirements, 
of  many  apphcants  and  their  quaUfications  and  adaptabilities, 
the  employment  manager  is  enabled  to  make  an  analytical 
diagnosis  of  the  case  in  question  and  its  possibilities.  On  the 
other  hand,  as  to  "Desire"  and  "Willing,"  it  is  obvious  that 
the  workman's  own  statements  hold  good. 

To  illustrate  the  use  of  the  card:  A  man's  real  trade, 
the  one  in  which  he  has  had  longest  experience,  may  be  that 
of  machinist.  The  employment  manager  may  record  this  trade 
as  his  first-best  his  second-best  qualification  being  for  a  ma- 
chine-shop electrician.  The  applicant  may  also  feel  that  he  is 
adapted  for  a  third  occupation,  such  as  foreman,  in  which  he 
may  have  had  some  experience;  or  in  the  judgment  of  the 
interviewer  he  may  appear  suitable  for  such  a  position.  This 
third  qualification  will  be  entered  under  the  item,  "Adapted." 
Perhaps  the  applicant  desires  to  accept  any  of  the  foregoing, 
or  perhaps  he  prefers  to  gain  experience  in  a  new  occupation, 
such  as  draftsman  or  tool-maker.  Such  a  fact  would  be  listed 
under  "Desire." 

Because  of  future  possibilities  with  the  firm  or  the  neces- 
sity for  immediate  employment,  the  applicant  may  be  willing 
to  accept  any  position  that  may  be  open.  This  fact  will  be 
noted  under  "Willing."  If  he  is  assigned  to  a  job,  the  specific 
position,  department,  hours,  and  date  are  noted  in  places  pro- 
vided for  that  information  on  the  card. 

Assume,  for  instance,  that  the  workman  has  been  assigned 
to  the  position  of  lathe  hand.  A  vacancy  occurs  on  a  job 
other  than  that  to  which  he  has  been  assigned ;  it  may  be  that 
of  foreman,  draftsman,  or,  let  us  say,  machinist.  On  looking 
at  the  occupational  index  guide  (see  page  6i),  we  find  the 
aspirant's  name  among  machinists.  The  vocational  fitness 
card,  which  is  then  consulted,  indicates  that  machinist  is  his 
"first-best."     Manifestly  his  best  service  can  be  rendered  in 


6o  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

the  trade  in  which  he  is  skilled,  and  this  opportunity  to  place 
him  there  is  not  only  welcome  to  him  but  is  in  the  best  interests 
of  the  company. 

Occupational  Index  Guide 

The  occupational  index  card  (Figure  13)  is  a  plainly  ruled 
card,  filed  in  an  occupational  index  guide,  card-index  file  with 
titles  varying  according  to  the  occupations  included  in  the 
work  of  a  plant.     It  contains  also  titles  of  secondary  occupa- 


^ie/g^<2^^^  .»  /A 


e^^iAcaiii/mJia. 


^fjQ^^/f^x^^ zJkSi 


^^..j^    Mj-J^yj^.  ',^60 


^o^j^aA^ Z_^ 


9?7.    <^vjA1^<^..  iJtO_ 


^^  m/Aa^m^ 1^4 


^  ^^A/^rr^ -UP 


Figure  13.     (a)   Occupational  Index  Card.     (Size  5x3.) 

tions,  not  in  the  work  of  the  plant,  but  closely  allied.  It  lists 
also  other  forms  of  labor,  light  and  heavy,  of  which  an  ap- 
plicant may  have  had  experience  quite  apart  from  the  opera- 
tions of  the  plant,  and  which  may  qualify  him  for  some  work 
within  the  plant. 

From  the  vocational  fitness  card  the  various  positions  for 
which  a  person  is  listed  as  "first  best,"  "second  best," 
"adapted,"  etc.,  are  noted,  and  his  name  is  transferred  to  as 
many  occupational  index  cards  as  there  are  positions,  or  voca- 
tions shown  on  his  vocational  fitness  card.    These  occupational 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS — THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE 


6l 


index  cards  contain  simply  the  name  of  the  applicant  and  his 
application  number,  and  are  filed  in  their  respective  positions 
in  the  occupation  index  file.  This  file,  together  with  the  voca- 
tional fitness  card  file,  which  is  arranged  alphabetically  accord- 
ing to  name,  forms  a  highly  convenient  cross-reference. 


Welders 


/     Tool  Makers 


/  5hg,t  Melal  Work^ 
/riiliinq  Machine  Opgrajor  ' 
/      Machine  Operaiors\=;^  riillwriqhfs 


X       i-aihe  Hands 
y^       Inspectors 
_/    Gauge  Makeirs 


Filers 


Draftsme 


/     bearing   Scrapers 


.     Concrete  Workers 


/      Soilermakers 


Clerks 


Sroachers 


/Gridlcy  VAcme  VUarlfora^      Blacksmiths 
/Automatic  Machine  Operators \^    Assemblymen 


Name 


Application    No- 


jU^-i^y*^^  jdi^iAJLitt^ 


'^^^^*jA 


£i^ fri^tf^^ 


_2^n 


-^ 


Figure  13.    (b)  Occupational  Index  Guide 


Use  of  the  Cross-Reference  Illustrated 

The  following  example  illustrates  its  convenience:  Mr. 
Smith,  application  No.  15,  may  have  his  name  and  application 
number  on  five  different  occupational  index  cards.  His  cards 
will  be  found  in  the  occupational  index  guide  in  the  sections 
"Machinist,"  "Electrician,"  "Tool-maker,"  "Foreman,"  and 
"Lathe  Hand."     Now  we  have  the  five  different  cards,  from 


62  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

any  one  of  which  we  can  refer  directly  to  the  person's  voca- 
tional fitness  card,  and  to  his  application  as  well,  if  detailed 
information  is  wanted  to  make  it  possible  to  place  him  to  the 
best  advantage. 

Notification  of  Vacancy 

When  a  foreman's  request  for  employees  is  received,  the 
occupational  index  guide  cards  are  consulted  for  workers  of 
the  kind  wanted.  Then  the  vocational  fitness  card  is  referred 
to  and  also  the  application  folder.  All  these  are  consulted 
to  discover  who  are  best  qualified  to  fill  the  requirements  of 
the  positions  named  on  the  requisition.  If  one  or  more  men 
are  found,  the  notification  of  vacancy  form  (Figure  14), 
which  is  a  postal  card,  is  sent  by  the  employment  department 
to  prospective  employees  and  informs  them  that  their  applica- 
tions have  been  considered  and  that  employment  can  be  given 
them.  A  space  is  provided  for  filling  in  by  typewriter  or  in 
handwriting,  the  specific  work  for  which  a  person  is  wanted, 
e.g.,  machinist.  The  card  requests  that  the  prospective  em- 
ployee report  at  once,  and  advises  him  that  failure  to  appear 
by  a  certain  date  permits  this  vacancy  to  be  filled  by  another 
person.  The  date  inserted  for  local  use  grants  the  applicant 
three  days  from  date  of  mailing,  since  the  foremen  are  asked, 
on  their  requisitions,  to  anticipate  their  needs  three  days  in 
advance.  This  card  is  especially  adapted  to  a  case  where  the 
applicant  written  to  is  particularly  qualified  for  the  particular 
position. 

Request  for  Interview  Form 

The  request  for  interview  form  (Figure  15)  is  also  a  post- 
card. After  consulting  the  application  folder  and  the  voca- 
tional fitness  card,  the  request  for  interview  card  is  mailed 
to  the  applicant  who  is  considered  tentatively  for  employment, 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS — ^THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE 


63 


St.  LouU,  pa.  Wci^  ^^ 

Tour  application  has  been  considered. 
This  i«  to  inform  you  that  Employment  can  now 
be  given  you  e.%  d-c^ucv  ^^a^^otn^  (i^/^^^atin^ 
You  will  please  report  to  the  Employment  Dept., 
with  this  notification,  ready  for  work  at  ono4< 
Failure  to  report  by  vTia^  /^ 
permits  this  vacancy  to  b^  filled  by  another 
person. 


Tours  truly » 
MAQHINISM  FC 


present  this  card  to  Employment  Office 


[INE  CO. 


Figure  14.     Notification  of  Vacancy.     (Size  5}^  x  33^.) 


MACHINIST3  FOUNDRY  SC  MACHINE  COMPANY 

St.Louis,  Pa.  ^!^a^.:/d. 

Your  application  has  been  considered.    Please  call  at  ^he  tmployment 
Office  at  once  for  an  Interview  regarding  a  position  that  you  should  be  able 

to  fill. 

Yours  truly. 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  &  MACHINE  CO. 


(Pn^ent  this  card  at  the  tmployment  Office) 


Figure  15.     Request  for  Interview  with  Applicant.     (Size  6  x  3^^.) 


64  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

requesting  that  he  call  at  the  earliest  convenience  for  an  inter- 
view. No  time  is  here  mentioned,  for  the  employment  depart- 
ment is  not  obligated  to  hold  the  job  open  and  is  at  liberty 
to  take  the  first  suitable  applicant. 

New  Employee's  Identification  Pass 

A  pass  (Figure  i6)  is  issued  by  the  employment  depart- 
ment to  new  employees,  to  be  presented  to  the  man  at  the 
gate  at  the  day  and  hour  they  are  instructed  to  report  for 
work. 

Reporting  for  Work  Blank 

This  blank  (Figure  17)  furnishes  information  for  purposes 
of  record  for  the  employment  department,  foreman,  and  pay- 
master. When  a  new  employee  is  hired,  the  interviewer  fills 
in  the  date,  hour,  requisition  number,  foreman's  name,  and 
the  department  to  which  the  employee  is  assigned;  also  the 
"bearer's"  name,  address,  clock  number,  and  the  approximate 
rate  as  it  was  on  the  requisition.  This  is  signed  by  a  member 
of  the  employment  department.  It  is  accompanied  by  a  badge 
bearing  the  same  number  as  the  man's  clock  number.  This 
badge  is  left  in  care  of  the  gateman,  who  has  instructions  to 
give  the  form  and  button  to  the  new  employee  in  exchange 
for  his  identification  pass. 

The  reporting  for  work  form,  is  taken  to  the  foreman 
whose  name  appears  on  it.  The  name  of  the  department,  the 
workman's  position,  the  date  and  hour  he  begins  work,  and 
the  rate  fixed  are  filled  in  by  the  foreman.  He  then  presents 
the  new  employee  with  the  colored  tab  that  identifies  him, 
to  be  attached  to  his  button  and  worn  in  a  conspicuous  place 
on  his  person.  (See  Chapter  XII,  "Identification  Systems.") 
The  foreman  then  signs  the  form  and  sends  it  to  the  employ- 
ment department. 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE 


65 


Maohini»t»  Foundry  A     NEW  EMPLOYEE'S 
M.ohin»co.        IDENTIFICATION  PASS 

Oate..„-y5?W.J^.. 
To  Watchman:— Please  admit  / 

<Goo<l  Only  on  Date  and  Hour  Noted  BloyM) 

Name ///^..r^.JiTJ'Z/H.^li^ 

Address. 


I,.jS:^as:^/aa^. 


Day 

Date 

Time 

^^a/tdi^cu/ 

^^<?   ., 

A.M. 

.^IM 


Figiire  16.     New  Employee's  Identification  Pass.     (Size  5x3.) 


Maohlnlsta  Foundry  d  Maohin*  Co. 

REPORTING  FOR  WORK 

Foreman 9ft^..^'^^/t^  /a,'nUJ:ait,^..... 

Department . 
The  bearer  >?^ 

Address  ...v^<:fj^^^;*i^)«'lC<aJ«ttr...e:Wf! „ _ Na  .«^<f has  been  employed  as  per 

your  Requisition  No.......Ai2^..._ Approximate  Rate..-«5«..^^. _ „ ~ 


r 


iA^ 19 


• Bmploymeni  Dept 

To  F</remeM.-^P]ease  retun^lhis  form  to  the  Employment  Departmentwiih  the  fojlowing  information: 

^t^\..'S/UinAdAa/t „ -.  Position .„ iWAca  ^^tej^ 

Began  Work L. _<?...-<  M.     Rate Sdr^         f^T    /A^^uj^ 

Date '7^04/  .^S 19 Signed i.[<<ryi^pmAAd4ni 

y  ForAian  or  Superintendent 

To  Paymaster:  Please  prepare  your  records  from  above  information  and  return  this  form  to  Employment  Dept. 

Date  B^ed  ,„^^g?^  y*^. ..I9....„  ^ 


Paymaster 


Emplo^fe^t  Dept 


Figure  17.     Reporting  for  Work  Blank.     (Size  8     x  4%.) 


66  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

The  details  regarding  the  date  of  employment,  clock  num- 
ber, position,  department,  and  rate  are  transferred  from  this 
form  to  the  outside  of  application  for  position  folder,  "Record 
of  Employee." 

After  the  reporting  for  work  blank  is  signed  by  the  em- 
ployment department  it  is  sent  to  the  paymaster,  who  takes 
his  record  from  it  and  returns  it  to  the  employment  depart- 
ment. It  may  also  be  sent,  later,  to  the  person  in  charge  of 
whatever  welfare  or  benefit  association  may  exist  in  the  plant 
for  the  purpose  of  soliciting  the  applicant's  membership 
therein.  It  is  eventually  filed  with  the  employment  department 
in  the  employee's  application  folder. 

Reminder  to  Applicants  Failing  to  Appear  for  Positions 

A  certain  number  of  those  hired,  who  promise  to  report 
to  work,  fail  to  appear.  This  fact  is  indicated  by  the  reporting 
for  work  forms,  that  remain  uncalled  for.  The  names  and 
addresses  of  these  delinquents  are  taken  from  the  above- 
mentioned  forms  and  a  post-card  reminder  (Figure  i8)  is 
mailed  to  each,  reminding  the  applicant  that  he  has  agreed 
to  take  a  position  held  open  for  him  and  giving  him  another 
chance. 

Simultaneously  with  the  making  out  of  this  card,  a  3  x  5 
card  is  filled  out  with  the  name  of  the  person  to  whom  it  has 
been  sent.  This  card  is  placed  in  a  daily  tickler  file  behind 
a  date  three  days  subsequent  to  the  mailing  of  the  reminder. 
Should  it  be  discovered,  on  consulting  the  file  on  that  date, 
that  the  applicant  has  failed  to  put  in  his  appearance,  the  card 
is  withdrawn  and  a  note  is  made  to  that  effect  on  the  applica- 
tion folder  for  future  reference. 

Foreman's  Report  on  Employee 

Two  weeks  after  a  man  has  reported  for  work,  the  employ- 
ment department  requests  the  foreman  to  check  off  items  on 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — ^THE   NEW   EMPLOYEE  67 


8t.  Louie,  Pa.        "^aui  3 

A  few  days  ago  when  in  the  Bnploynent 
Department,    it  was  agreed  that  you  were  to 
return  to  take  a  position  held  open  for  you. 

Please  advise  when  we  may  expeot  you.  phone, 
write  or  oall  at  the  Employment  Department,  so 
that  we  oan  arrange  to  have  you  begin  work. 

Yours  truly, 

IIACRINIST^  POI»rt«Y  >  .MAg^PE  COMPANY 


mi 
Present  this  oard  at  Employment  Offioe. 


Figure  18.     Reminder  to  Applicant  Failing  to  Appear  for  Position. 
(Size  5^  X  3M.) 


FOREMAN'S  REPORT     ote. 

.   .  ^  yPl.«l.  Chacfc  anfl  RMum  to  emptoynMnt  CpwtitMnt  r 

■  *<-l.:„_„^>^ ./ . ^x^^^Ajl^ ^ 

(Good  ••  (OlMdient        '"  (  Faat  • — '  (  SxceUont 

MmrlVtiT^^'^^  Dili      I  j  Retolar*-^  Piiiiuu  l  Mediom  SUl  ^  ATwrice  — -^ 

(Poor  (AgiUter  (siow  (Poor 

Hsm  ttfad  Ua  oo  following  cfaMM*  of  work . 


Dhdi«g«d__-: . Uid  off . Rwigned. 


loUUigaiMo  ftaicfciw 

PaMtaaKty  OnkiUiiM.       ^  Hooot    ^^  TaidiiwM  Diaorderliooa        Duboact 

aiiwij  OteorfuliiM.  •'^  Steody •"^^  Iiuccnnqr  GloominM.  UnrelUble 


IwlMliJ  fc^         P«ti«M.  Lorml  IjtinfM  Impstience 

Good  Moaorr        Sobiitty'  B^olar  t,^^"  Fonetfolneia        Intemperance        lodifferwt 

ObtdJMee  Dependability  Diaobedience  IndependkbiUty 

With  rafovDce  to  this  man  I  recommend  ''%0...au32a2t..JH^J^uA£^fC..Ua^22l^.. 

Betoraad  to  EmpioyineDt  HepartaMut , Date__-p ^ ^ 

(Sgned) U^Lu/.../JJt>cUd 


Would  yoQ  raempliqr  <a  yoor  (tcpartnent  7  y^        Do  you  think  it  adviaable  to  trmnsfer  ?  j 


BeMooi  for  feaving- 


Figure  19.     Foreman's  Report  on  Employee.     (Size  7^  x  4^.) 


68  GETTING  EMPLOYEES 

the  foreman's  report  form  (Figure  19)  as  to  the  workman's 
efficiency,  character,  and  conduct.  This  form  is  then  returned 
to  the  employment  department  by  the  foreman  and  is  sum- 
marized and  entered  on  the  record  of  employee  leaf  of  the 
application  folder  form.  A  similar  report,  which  may  serve 
also  as  an  efficiency  rating  is  requested  from  the  foreman 
every  three  months. 

The  foreman's  report  form  can  be  used  by  a  foreman  when 
he  discovers  that  a  workman,  after  having  been  given  several 
trials,  does  not  fit  the  requirements  of  any  one  or  more  of 
the  jobs  under  his  supervision.  If,  however,  the  foreman  feels 
that  the  man  is  a  willing  and  conscientious  worker,  and  might 
do  well  in  another  department,  rather  than  discharge  or  lay 
him  off,  he  returns  him  to  the  employment  department  and 
recommends  that  he  be  given  work  commensurate  with  his 
ability.  With  this  recommendation  in  mind,  the  employment 
department  acts  according  to  its  discretion. 

The  foreman  may  make  use  of  this  form  when  he  returns 
a  man  to  the  employment  department  with  a  recommendation 
that  he  be  discharged,  laid  off,  or  transferred.  In  this  case, 
he  merely  checks  off  the  proper  items. 

A  foreman  may  use  the  same  report  for  furnishing  any 
information  he  may  have  as  to  the  reasons  for  an  employee's 
leaving.  He  may  further,  upon  the  request  of  the  employ- 
ment department,  utilize  this  form  for  giving  data  on  a 
previously  employed  workman  who  has  worked  under  his 
supervision. 

Requesting  Interview  with  Prospective  Employees 

When  in  need  of  employees,  the  employment  department 
consults  its  records  and  selects  the  men  best  qualified  to  fit 
existing  vacancies.  A  letter  (Figure  20)  is  then  sent  to 
prospective  employees  with  the  request  that  they  call  at  the 
employment  department  for  an  interview. 


EMPLOYMENT   FORMS — THE   NEW   EMPLOYEE  69 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  &  MACHINE  CO. 

ST.  LOUIS.  ^A. 


Addreas  all  Communioatlona 
to  Gnployment  Departaent. 


May  IB 


You  have  Deen  reoommended  for  a 
job  In  the  Uaohinlsta  Founlry  &  Uachln» 
Co.  by  one  of  our  satlefactory  enployee* 
for  ^  ^^  #^5^tf^^zW^,there  is  at 
preaent  ^Ja^ai^u^^^^a,     Job  open  that 

We  will  bei  pleased  to  have  you  oall 
at  the  plant  at  your  earliest  oonvenlenoa 
for  an  interview. 

Yours  truly. 


Figiare  20.     Letter  to  Prospective  Employee,  Requesting  Interview. 
(SizeSMx  II.) 

This  letter  is  used  in  connection  with  Figure  21. 


70  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Maohlnlsts  Foundry  A  Maehin*  Co. 

RECOMMENDATION 

Have  you  a  friend  whom  you  wiah  to  recommend  for  employment  T     U  you  care  to  Tooeb  tot  that 
following  information  regardinf;  him  or  ber. 

Name  of  person  recommended- ».i^:Z^Zf3^i^...m^.....M4€dti^£iCC 

His  or  her  address ..^^^  ..v^^»f^<^«<!<2^i^  .j2^- 


Age Single Married  ..sr-rT. How  many  to  mpport  -.3.. 

b be Af  shedependable  ? f^^. ...Industrious ? .^«i4/„...: Sober ? ^^^£d.. 

Isbe^rriie-related  to  you ?-...:^2:_.  If  so.  how? .rrrrrr: .'. _.._.,, 


How  long  have  you  known  him  or  her  ?.  ..*Z..^!Sd<fi?4i£^. 
Is  fae  ^jTshTemployed  ?  .  J^?. Where  ? . 


What  kind  of  work  does  he  a^Ane-Ao  "i  ^Oii^  Ji^iZl^.-lfHO^Ci^^  

What  kind  of  work  can  hearShe-  do?  .<S^^J?i.d.-./{;zZf«?..<S!<^^ 

What  is  his  uritef  approximate  rate  of  i»y  at  present  ^ .::K.(Zd.  rrA££/^..  e<Z/t<n>C*t^.  .^Z^^ 

Date "Mjim-JJ^ 19        Signed .Jurh!^../£^..- ^....^oc^^o...fS^. 

/  Position.t:;^i5^/..i?^^2i^.^i^^Dept _.        -^ 


Figure  21.     Blank  for  Employee's  Recommendation  of  Friends. 

(Size  8  X  4^.) 
The  letter  shown  in  Figure  20  is  used  in  connection  with  this  form. 


St.  Louie,  Pa.  9^a^  12 

We  have  several  jobs  open  at  this  time,  and 
are  giving  preference  to  those  who  have  been 
employed  here  before.     Going  over  our  past  records 
we  found  your  name  among  this  number.     The  jobs 
which  are  open  promise  promotion,  and  one  of  them 
would  suit  you,  we  are  sure. 

We  would  b'e  pleased  to  have  you  oall  at  this 
plant,  at  your  earliest  oonvenienoe. 

Yours  truly, 
MACH^gTS^OUN^^UJ^CRJNE  COMPANY 

fempioymenT^  Depart^^fit    "^ 

Please  present  this  card  at  the  Employment  Office. 


Figure  22.     Notice  of  Vacancies  to  Former  Employees. 
(Size  5^  X  3M-) 


EMPLOYMENT  FORMS — THE  NEW  EMPLOYEE    7^ 

Employees'  Recommendation  of  Friends 

A  recommendation  form  (Figure  21)  is  given  by  the 
foreman  to  every  loyal  employee  who  wishes  to  influence  a 
friend  or  relative  to  apply  to  the  firm  for  work;  or  to  any 
workman  who  is  liable  to  have  inquiries  made  of  him  regarding 
the  possibilities  and  probabilities  of  obtaining  work  in  the 
plant.  The  making  out  of  this  form  serves  another  purpose. 
In  enumerating  to  his  friends  the  advantages  of  working  in 
the  plant,  the  employee  himself  comes  to  realize  them  more 
fully.  The  introducer  of  an  outsider  will  naturally  interest 
himself  in  the  man  he  has  recommended  and  helped  to  bring 
in;  he  will  assist  him  in  doing  his  work  and  make  him  feel 
at  home.  (See  Chapter  VIII,  "Getting  Help.")  These  recom- 
mendation forms  are  sent  to  the  employment  department  to 
be  dealt  with.     They  may  be  printed  in  several  languages. 

Notice  of  Vacancies  to  Former  Employees 

When  a  serious  shortage  of  employees  occurs,  and  when 
there  is  a  demand  for  such  men  as  are  specially  fitted  for 
certain  work,  a  card  (Figure  22)  is  sent  to  those  previously 
employed  in  the  plant.  Before  sending  out  this  form,  the 
employment  department  consults  the  files  of  the  previously 
employed  and  makes  a  selection  from  the  list  of  those  dis- 
charged for  minor  causes,  laid  ofT,  etc.  In  short,  the  selection, 
is  made  from  the  list  of  any  who  have  left  the  plant  for' 
various  reasons,  if,  in  the  judgment  of  the  employment  depart- 
ment, it  is  desirable  to  reclaim  them. 


CHAPTER  VII 

EMPLOYMENT   FORMS— ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES, 
IDENTIFICATIONS 

Request  for  Transfer  of  Employee 

As  is  pointed  out  in  Chapter  XVI,  "Transfers,"  it  is  often 
advisable  to  transfer  an  employee  from  one  department  to 
another.  When  a  transfer  becomes  necessary,  a  request  for 
transfer  blank  (Figure  23)  is  used.  On  it  are  noted  the 
man's  name,  number,  and  the  department  to  which  he  desires 
to  be  transferred,  together  with  the  reasons  for  the  change. 
It  is  then  signed  by  the  employment  department  and  sent  to 
the  employee's  foreman.  The  foreman,  either  with  or  without 
detailed  reasons,  refuses  or  consents  to  the  transfer.  The 
conduct  of  the  employment  department  in  such  matters  is 
influenced  considerably  by  the  attitude  of  the  foreman. 

The  result  of  this  procedure  is  then  entered  on  the  leaf 
headed  employment  "Record  of  Employee"  of  application 
folder,  and  filed  with  the  employment  department. 

Notification  of  Transfer  or  Change  of  Rates 

A  supply  of  forms  for  the  notification  of  transfer  or  change 
of  rates  (Figure  24)  is  furnished  a  foreman  and  the  forms 
are  filled  out  by  him  in  duplicate.  He  uses  them  on  various 
occasions : 

1.  When  a  transfer  is  necessary  because  there  is  not  suf- 

ficient work  for  a  man  in  his  department. 

2.  When  he  believes  a  man  is  better  fitted  to  do  work  in 

another  department  and  he  desires  to  promote  him 
independent  of  the  man's  request. 
72 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


73 


>  Foundry  A  Maohin*  Co. 

REiQUEST  FOR  TRANSFER 

XMji.....9/lauJZ.. 19 

..^Atmd^m^. » d.J^j'f 

I  to  be  fiwcferred  from  jour  depurtnient  to  J^l^iCCt*Cf'ZC^fnCi-- - OepartnMnt 

He  a«isns  the  following  reaaons  for  wanting  to  ebange :  ^i^.T^tatt£^tC*f..'€4tilfi:dE££l...£l^- 


'in€//!i//u.a^L€^  an/;/..  caaz.rt£f€:  ...nfe^.. 


If  tlHnsreBv  raeoM  irity 


(Signed) 
bearer  aboold  not  be  rehired 


If  ■gieeaMe  to  yon  that  he  be  rehired,  sign  below '.- 

I  hereby  oooMOt  to  above  transfer  and  rcqoest  the  proper  credit  on  my  requisition  for  labor, 


■.M^Ttal^  me£^  j^^ 


imsXA'XkMx 


iiUi 


Figure  23.     Request  for  Transfer  of  Employee.     (Size  8x5.) 


Ma6hlnlst8  Foundry  A  Machine  Co. 

NOTIFICATION  OF  TRANSFER  AND  CHANGE  OF  RATE. 

To  Employment  and  PavMASTE^*s  Dept  j  / 

PlpseChangeRate  ^                   Fleue  Transfer  |2] 
Naine.~~.J5feS^5^.-.^i5»fK^g4f Z\<yt\^...J^Zj^. 


W!^..j^. VcXixMon^^fUct^^^t^. 

To  PoBition..,..^^i&ij4:</.,^J^i^^lt™:.^. New  Clock  Ho..f^Z 

To  Dept.  .j^^^S^^_  Foremaff.^J^^^idAf^^ew  rate-^^..per;;^5?^^ 

EffecUve :  Date /.9^CZ4J...yS. i^.jLj&onT..^./^.^/Z.........J^ 

Reasons  for  ^^xi^lQX^^Z4.u4£^l^n^l.4'asA^UCfi^ecJl<^ 


„.^  ^    I  Date.^4J^.../i! (Sified) 

XSOted  :  1  SmpWbebt  Uept. 

I  Date  ...-i^^z;^../^ —  (Signedj . 

Paytnaater's  Dept 


Figure  24.     Notification  of  Employee's  Transfer  and  Change  of  Rate. 
(Size  5x3.) 


74  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

3.  When  he  takes  It  upon  himself  to  change  a  man's  rates 

in  his  own  department. 

4.  When  he  transfers  a  man,  with  or  without  change  of 

rates,  to  another  department;  or  in  case  of  his  com- 
plying with  the  employee's  own  request  for  or  con- 
senting to  his  transfer,  as  outlined  in  the  request 
for  transfer  blank. 

The  foreman  fills  this  blank  with  the  name  and  address  of 
the  employee  being  transferred  or  having  his  rate  changed, 
his  number,  position,  present  rate,  and  department.  When 
changing  the  rates  of  a  man  in  his  own  department,  the  fore- 
man goes  further  and  makes  all  other  necessary  notations  to 
complete  the  information.  Otherwise  the  person  being  trans- 
ferred, or  having  his  rate  changed,  presents  this  form  to  the 
new  foreman,  who  fills  in  the  latter  half  of  it,  with  the  details 
of  department,  new  rate,  the  day  and  hour  it  is  to  become 
effective,  and  affixes  his  signature.  Either  foreman,  on  sign- 
ing, can  fill  in  the  space  reserved  for  * 'Reasons  for  Transfer." 
Change  of  rates  should  be  OK'd  by  the  superintendent  or 
authorized  person.  This  form  is  then  presented  to  the  employ- 
ment department,  which  makes  any  necessary  changes  in  the 
way  of  button,  new  clock  number,  and  card.  The  employment 
department  then  signs  and  sends  the  form  to  the  paymaster's 
department.  There  the  record  is  entered  and  the  form  is  then 
returned  to  the  employment  department  for  filing  in  the  ap- 
plication for  position  folder. 

All  notations  on  this  form  should  be  in  ink  or  indelibfe ' 
pencil;  no  erasures  are  acknowledged  unless  initialed  by  the 
foreman  making  them. 

Collective  Notification  of  Transfers  and  Changes  of  Rates 

Figure  25  operates  along  the  same  lines  as  the  form  just 
discussed,  except  that  it  has  to  do  with  transfers  and  changes 
of  rates  for  more  than  one  employee. 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


75 


1^ 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Employment  Slip 

When  for  any  reason  an  employee  leaving  the  plant  has 
to  get  tool  clearance,  but  his  return  has  been  arranged  for  a 
specified  job  and  at  a  certain  date,  the  employment  slip  shown 
in  Figure  26  is  convenient  for  the  record.  It  is  distinct  from 
Figure  16  as  an  admittance  card.  When  presented  by  the 
employee  it  indicates  that  a  report  for  work  form  need  not 
be  made  out.  Instead,  notification  of  transfer  and  change  of 
rates  form,  with  the  details  of  his  disposition,  is  filled  out 


Maohlnl8td  Foundry  &  Machine  Co. 

EMPLOYMENT  SLIP 
Employment  Bureau :— The  bearer 


..iias  been 


,Oepa  rtment 


Day 

Date 

Time 

"^tu/tddaxi 

9^acf  /«5     191 

;r^^.-.x 

^       / 

.     /^ 

Remarks  \2f3^..7ztafU..'nad....'££Cit...!^^ 


Figure  26.     Employment  Slip  for  Employees  Temporarily  Laid  Off 
or  Transferred.     (Size  5x3.) 

jointly  by  the  employment  department  and  the  foreman  to 
whom  he  has  been  assigned. 


Leave  of  Absence  Permit 

When  an  employee  contemplates  taking  leave  of  absence 
and  the  granting  of  that  leave  is  warranted,  his  foreman  fills 
in  a  leave  of  absence  permit  (Figure  ^'j)  with  the  employee's 
name,  number,  occupation,  and  department,  the  date  on  which 
the  absence  begins,  and  the  date  on  which  it  expires.  The 
foreman  then  signs  this  form  and  gives  it  to  the  workman 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


17 


Machinists  Foundry  &  Machine  CO. 


Emp.  No». 
LEAVE  OF  ABSENCE  PERMIT 

l>z\ji^r/Za^^^. 19  — 

To  Employment  Department  : 

I  have  this  day  granted  to — .1^di?4^2L~.^< 

HO...JZZ. T)ev\^....QUzA/a^ Occupation....,^^2<.d/^<Si^ 

L>eave  of  Absence  from  date« -JrrL^M:.f^...xji  date. 

Signed ^M.J^...jS., 

yatiliWM  BOM  «•  ttM  emplor**  (Hm  hi*  permit  witb  >mpi07«Mnt  I>«9«nneat  %\  4Mir#  l«»vU|« 
ia  order  to  ohaek  up  bU  TCtanit 


Figure  27.    Leave  of  Absence  Permit,     (Size  5x3.) 


Maohlnlsfs  Foundry  d.  Machine  Co. 

NOTIFICATION  OF  ABSENTEE 
Name...  J^^Z^^^ ^^n4&^ No,.^^X -. 


•ISAM  ADVIM   OAtt   OF 


MrruRN  or  Aascimui 


Figure  28.    Foreman's  Report  of  Individual  Absentee,     (Size  5x3.) 


78  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

to  present  to  the  employment  department,  which  then  places 
it  in  the  tickler  file,  behind  the  date  on  which  the  employee 
promises  to  return.  By  consulting  the  tickler  file,  the  employ- 
ment department  is  able  to  ascertain  the  man's  presence  or 
absence  at  the  appointed  time.  Anyone  returning  from  an 
absence  should  stop  first  in  the  employment  office  to  announce 
his  return. 

Foreman's  Notification  of  Absentees 

The  notification  of  absentee  form  (Figure  28)  is  used 
daily  by  the  foreman  to  furnish  the  employment  department 
with  information  regarding  any  individual  employee  who  has 
failed  to  appear  for  work.  The  foreman  records  on  this  card 
the  name,  department,  and  number  of  the  employee  and  date 
his  absence  began,  together  with  remarks  as  to  following  him 
up,  dependent,  of  course,  upon  the  value  of  the  individual  to 
the  particular  department.  The  employment  department  will, 
at  all  times,  use  its  discretion  in  such  matters. 

When  there  are  two  or  more  employees  absent,  the  fore- 
man uses  the  report  shown  in  Figure  29  instead  of  the  form 
just  explained.  As  is  stated  on  the  bottom  of  these  blanks, 
new  men  who  are  absent  must  be  reported  at  once,  older 
employees  after  two  days. 

Letter  to  Absentees 

When  an  absentee  has  not  been  visited  personally,  a  card 
is  sent  to  him  by  the  employment  department  requesting  him 
to  call,  phone,  or  write,  explaining  the  reasons  for  his  absence, 
and  announcing  the  probable  date  of  his  return.  This  card 
(Figure  30)  indicates  that  the  workman's  welfare  is  considered 
and  that  the  firm  is  looking  forward  to  his  coming  back.  The 
workman's  gratitude  at  receiving  this  letter  frequently  hastens 
his  return. 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


79 


Figure  29,    Foreman's  Report  on  Two  or  More  Absentees.     (Size  8x5.) 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  8c  MACHINE  COMPANY 

StXouis,  Pa.  ^..7^a^..JS.. 


Vfe  were  sorry  to  hear  of  your  unavoidable  absence  Trom  this  plant. 
It  is  the  desire  of  this  Company  to  keep  in  touch  with  its  employees. 

We  trust  that  you  are  now  so  situated  as  to  be  able  to  return  to  work 
at  an  early  dale. 

If  we  can  be  of  any  service  to  you  in  anyway  vidll  you  please  inform 
us.  ahp  advise  by  phone  or  mail  the  probable  date  of  your  ictura. 
Yours  truly, 
MACHINI3T3  FOUNDRY  Sf^ACHINE  CO. 


Lmployment  Oept 


Figure  30.     Letter  to  Absentees.     (Size  6x3^.) 


8o  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

Letter  to  Habitual  Absentees 

The  form  letter  shown  in  Figure  31  is  addressed  to  the 
employee  who  has  proved  to  be  a  habitual  absentee  and  some- 
what unreliable  in  his  promises.  It  is  tactfully  worded  so  as 
to  elicit  a  reply  regarding  the  intended  date  of  return,  but 
it  is  couched  in  such  a  way  as  to  indicate  that  "business  is 
meant.'* 

Investigator's  Report  on  Absentee 

The  form  for  investigator's  report  on  absentee  (Figure  . 
32)  is  used  when  the  foreman  or  the  firm  particularly  desires 
to  ascertain  the  cause  of  an  employee's  absence,  the  circum- 
stances surrounding  it,  the  further  intentions  of  the  absentee, 
and  what  help  can  be  rendered  him.  If  the  employment 
department  sends  an  investigator  or  writes  to  the  employee, 
the  results  of  the  investigation  or  letter  are  entered  on  this 
form,  which  indicates,  among  other  details,  whether  the  in- 
vestigator saw  the  absentee  himself  or  only  someone  related 
to  him.  The  investigator  signs  this  form  and  presents  it  to 
the  employment  department.  After  consultation  with  the 
foreman,  the  employment  department  arranges  for  the  final 
disposition  of  the  case.  The  form  is  then  filed  in  the  applica- 
tion folder. 

Order  for  Payment  to  Employee  Terminating  Employment 

The  order  for  payment  form  (Figure  33)  is  filled  out  and 
given  to  an  employee  who  has  been  laid  off  or  discharged, 
to  collect  his  pay  in  full.  The  foreman  fills  in  the  date,  the 
employee's  name  and  number,  the  amount  earned  by  him 
under  day  or  piecework  rates  on  the  day  of  leaving,  and 
inserts  symbols  of  the  part  or  parts  worked  on.  He  also 
indicates  whether  the  employee  has  been  discharged  or  laid 
off,  and  the  exact  reasons.    When  a  workman  quits,  the  word 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS  8l 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  &  MACHINE  CO. 

ST.  LOUIS,  PA. 


A&dreas  All  Comfflunioatlons 
to  Bnployment  Dei>artment. 


Maj  19 


This  office  h&i  been  adrise<r  th&t 
you  have  been  abeent  from  work  for  ^  ^^**9^ 
Please  write  inunedlately  telling  why  yoa 
a^ce  absent  anl  give  the  aarlieet  date  you 
will. return  to  work. 

If  you  do  not  intend  to  return 
please  fUmish  us  reasdns  for  your  leaving 
or  before  oaking  your  decision  call  at  the 
Employment  Department  for  an  interview. 

This  oomfflunioation  should  be  aA> 
•wered  not  later  than  48  hours  after  yoa 
receive  it. 

Tours  very  truly, 

•MACHINISTS  FOUHpRT  &  -MACHIJIE  00. 


Figure  31.     Letter  to  Habitual  Absentees.     (Size  8^/^  x  11.) 


82  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

"Leaving"  is  checked  off  by  the  foreman  with  the  reasons 
for  the  man's  quitting,  or  the  foreman's  surmise  as  to  the 
reason. 

Reason  for  Leaving 

When  an  employee  has  been  discharged,  laid  off,  or  has 
quit,  he  visits  the  employment  department  for  an  interview 
before  leaving  the  plant.  His  name,  address,  rate,  number, 
length  of  service,  and  the  foreman  under  whom  he  has  worked, 
with  other  details,  are  recorded  on  the  reason  for  leaving 
form  (Figure  34).  This  information  is  compared  with  that 
furnished  by  the  employee's  foreman  on  the  order  for  pay- 
ment form.  Thus  both  sides  of  a  situation  are  revealed  and 
at  the  same  time  the  company's  fairness  to  its  workmen  is 
demonstrated  to  the  departing  employee.  The  information  so 
obtained  brings  out  many  interesting  facts  that  might  other- 
wise have  been  overlooked  and  is,  consequently,  very  helpful 
to  the  employment  department. 

For  example,  the  workman's  discharge  or  cause  for  leaving 
may  have  been  owing  to  circumstances  other  than  those  of 
his  own  making.  His  personality  and  that  of  the  foreman 
may  have  clashed. 

By  analyzing  and  classifying  the  information  furnished  by  , 
these  reason  forms,  the  employment  department  is  enabled  to  * 
trace  latent  and  manifest  difficulties  to  their  sources,  and  to  ' 
ascertain  the  particular  foremen  or  departments,  or  both,  that 
the  men  find  it  most  difficult  to  work  under  and  why. 

This  reason  form  may  also  be  used  when  the  employment 
department  wishes  to  reclaim  an  employee  who  is  about  to 
leave,  to  assure  him  that  any  misunderstanding  that  exists 
can  be  satisfactorily  adjusted  if  he  desires  to  return  to  work, 
either  to  his  former  or  to  another  department.  Should  the 
workman  agree  to  return,  the  fact  is  noted  by  checking  off 
the  proper  items,  "Returning,"  "When."    If  he  is  to  be  trans- 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


83 


Maohlnlst*  Foundry  &  Machine  Co. 

INVESTIGATOR'S  REPORT  ON  ABSENTEE 

Name .^^73^*£-....^<<:^X^3^«-. . No...„..^^^ 

KiiAt^.£..6ijS/j7XaA^.Si^,...    ,.  ..Phone  Nq 


I  Seen 
Written  to 

Probable  date  of  Te\.Mrn..^?^aU..^ib*^.-^, 
Reinark8^^^^<^.:2^.^43^3&t*C..^?5e.-.25^€if. 

/  Z M  ^ 


"^aZ^^ 


f-t!^ 

Investigator 


Figure  32.     Investigator's  Report  on  Absentee.     (Size  5x3) 


MMhinlat*  Foundry  4  Maohlno  Co.  -^ 

ORDER  FOR  PAYMENT  DateV2Z^/^i9 
To  EmplotmbnT  DbpAKTMDIT;— Pleaae  pay  in  fall  ^ 

Nam.      ji^2M<J^^uAZz.t€^  No.  MS 


Today  ZrO 


No.  of  hr«.  ^ 


No.  ofhw.         ycM.        I  Symbol  ^3i^«3L? 


Diachargwl  g] 


Laidotrl     I 


Leaving  [^J 


^%t^«J£^Z£,„.JR«a^ 

-T:?t£M::==: 

„ :;&4^!tti/t  t!»njxj^i:\yv^\. 

to  all  CUM  lead  order  ia  aealcd  envelope  ^ 


Figure  33.     Order  for  Pajonent  to  Employee  Terminating  Employment. 
(Size5Mx3H) 


^4  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

ferred,  the  work  and  the  new  department  are  indicated.  A 
card  is  then  put  in  the  tickler  file  for  the  date  that  he  is  to 
return. 

Should  the  workman,  however,  decide  not  to  come  back, 
he  is  asked  "Going  to  Work  Where,"  "Hours,"  "To  Do 
What,"  "Rate,"  "Bonus,"  "Overtime,"  etc.  The  information 
thus  obtained  facilitates  a  comparison  of  conditions  with  those 
existing  in  other  plants.  It  also  indicates  what  particular  firms 
attract  the  men  most  and  the  reasons  why.  A  digest  of  such 
information  may  be  made  from  groups  of  these  forms,  and 
recorded  by  the  employment  department.  Such  a  digest  will 
be  of  great  value  when  attempts  to  better  conditions  in  the 
plant  are  made.  This  reason  form  is  filed  in  the  application 
folder. 

Settlement  Slip 

The  settlement  slip  (Figure  35)  is  related  in  its  use  to  the 
order  for  payment  form  in  the  following  way:  The  latter, 
with  the  words,  "Please  pay  in  full,"  is  presented  by  the 
employee  to  the  employment  department,  where  the  reason 
form  is  made  out.  This  transaction  completed,  the 
settlement  slip  is  then  handed  to  the  employee  with  the  neces- 
sary items  checked.  The  information  on  the  order  for  pay- 
ment form  is  transferred  to  the  settlement  slip;  i.e.,  the  amount 
"Earned,"  "Day  Work,"  or  "Piece  Work,"  "Symbol,"  and 
the  hour  and  date  of  departure  of  the  employee.  The  work- 
man then  surrenders  his  button  to  the  employment  department, 
which  notes  the  fact,  and  the  person  in  charge  of  the  tool-crib 
records  the  tool  clearance.  The  employee  finally  presents  this 
form  to  the  paymaster,  who  from  his  own  records  of  the 
man's  earnings,  plus  the  earnings  on  the  settlement  slip,  totals 
the  wage  amount  in  full  and  takes  the  workman's  signature 
on  the  form  as  a  receipt.  When  an  employee  leaves  voluntarily 
without  having  worked  out  his  six  days'  notice,  the  settlement 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


85 


No. 


Reason  Form— Employment  Department 

Date 2^i(?(^.J£         .!», 

Leave  of 

.^^C^^ett^/Zt/Hnr,    imnt Diachaned. 

M^S. : , , -. Uid  off__ 


/ 


Left  Volnntarfly. 
Transfer. 


Reluiuinf . 


Rau 

Sob-Foreman 

Length  of  Serv<ce.__.^^._::??fel^5K2^_J^ 

Why  an  yoa  learing  l^i4^jliTA.j^JltlL.aM«a^^..J^^  UtO^  d/»ttt 

aZtrii^  nt.  '*rt.^A^^^u,'mt^  '^i^^ 

What  kind  of  woft  did  yoa  do  here  ?jl___ i^<i.^SCM£.     ^ 

Are  you  eominr  badt  t  jS^Zo. ., When? 

For  what  work  ? . 


GoiBff  to  work  where  ?._.ll^?»K/i,^«^-tt^2 — To  do  what?.^5*^(!e^B!MMLHour»_<fl_._.BateL_^52i^ 
""" Overtime JLfiJtHjtL, 


acvt^  ^ta^^tctf(u*^^  ■e^.-i^acoM^^ <Ha£^  .^OU^J^^l^^  /. „ 

Figiire  34.     Reason  for  Leaving  Form.     (Size  8  x  4J^.) 


Machinists  Foundry  &  Machine  Co. 


SETTLEMENT  SLIP  °**^    ^<^fp^ 


To  Patmastbb's  Department  : 
Name  ^.^^ItAAi...^^^^^ 
Na  ^f^JL 
Dept  ^..^Xk}Matj. 
Potition..:ti^-^ 


Pay  in  full  and  remoTC  from  payroll* 

Settle  shortage  in  pay 

Pay  bonui  money 

Allow  adrance  of 

Pay  Liberty  Bond 

Settle  back  pay  ^^ 


Day  Woric 


loAvy  S^^     JNoofhrs.^        No.  of  bra  Pes.  Symbol  ^^^ 


Tool  Qearance <J^Lxl Buttoo  Surrendered  to. 

Tool  Crib  y/ 

ved  |...>^.^.i^„._.ui  payment.    (Signed) ..,<^fe<^ 


Figure  35.     Settlement  Slip  of  Employee  Terminating  Employment. 

(Size  5x3.) 


86  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

slip  is  made  out  as  before  with  a  check  mark  at  the  item 
'Tay  in  full  and  remove  from  pay-roll,"  adding  in  writing, 
"on  regular  pay-day."  This  is  sent  to  the  paymaster,  who 
retains  it  until  the  pay  envelopes  have  been  arranged,  when 
he  attaches  it  to  the  envelope  marked  ''When  called  for."  The 
caller  must  get  ''tool  clearance"  and  "button  surrender,"  unless 
these  have  been  secured  prior  to  pay-day. 

Other  cases  that  may  necessitate  the  use  of  the  settlement 
slip,  are  the  following: 

1.  When  an  employee  finds  a  shortage  in  his  pay. 

2.  When  an  employee  is  to  be  allowed  an  "advance"  in 

pay. 

3.  When  an  employee  is  to  receive  "back  pay,"  which  he 

failed  to  call  for  on  regular  pay-day. 

4.  When  "bonus  money"  is  due  an  employee. 

In  any  of  these  cases,  the  employee's  request  or  the  decision 
of  the  employment  department  is  covered  by  checking  off 
the  items  printed  on  the  form  as  instructions  to  the 
paymaster. 

Wage  Advance  Slip 

The  advance  slip  (Figure  36)  is  used  when  an  employee 
obtains  an  advance  against  his  wages.  The  foreman  fills  it 
out  with  the  date,  bearer's  name,  number,  amount  of  the 
advance,  and  the  reasons  for  the  request.  He  then  gives  it 
to  the  workman  with  instructions  to  have  it  OK'd  by  the 
employment  department  before  presenting  it  to  the  paymaster. 
The  object  of  having  the  form  OK'd  is  to  enable  the  em- 
ployment department  by  tactful  inquiry  to  ascertain  the 
reasonableness  of  the  request  and  especially  to  draw  out  in- 
formation which  might  indicate  whether  the  advance  is  likely 
to  prevent  the  man's  returning  to  work  for  a  day  or  more. 
Requests   for  advances,  coupled  with  the   reasons  therefor, 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


87 


Maohlnlsts  roundry  *  Maohin*  Co. 

ADVANCE  SUP 

08te-j2^W...  :?S? 1» 

Employmbnt  Department  :  ^J: 

Allow  advanc*  of  $  .//^_  .....to  h6^sct.ffi^l*^.J^^aZuA^.€{^i^ 

No U?..ij4.....     Pleaae  arrange  payment  and  oblige. 

Reasons  ior  re^^l^it^d£ait!m^'r^:^ pn,  cAc/c//^ 


Received  payment/^f^i^^-  .^a?3^ 


Figure  36.     Wage  Advanee  Slip.     (Size  4J^  x  3.) 


Machlnlata  Foundry  A           EMPLOYEE'S    PASS 

Maohina  Co-   "^                                                                                   ^yf/t 
TO  WATCHMAN                                                                                               DATE            /TV/^ya'/T 

Please  Pass 

RoiirQo.        y^      '        1 

GOING  OUT^F  PLANT  ON  ACCOUNT  OF  (oHeok proper  xjuve)                                                            ] 

Sickness  or  Accident 

Finished  Work 

Company  Business 

t^ 

His  Personal  Business 

signed 

Laid  Off 

Resigned 

Discharged 

With  Bundle-HUP«rK)n«lFroperW 

With  Tools 

u^ 

signed 

without  Tools 

Figure  37.     Employee's  Pass.     (Size  5x3.) 


MACHINISTS  FOUNDRY  &  MACHINE  CO. 

Contractor's  Employee's  Identitication  Card 

N.«e  ...^Ljia^^jvf  ^^^4/^^;^ 

■ ^..t.Mr^...^^a^a^. 


ALWAYS  CARRY  THIS  CARD  WITH  YOU 


Pass  employee  whose  name  appears  below  info 
plant  at  regular  hours  only  unless  specified  on  other 
side. 

Any  employee  discovered  loaning  his  carJ  will 
be  subject  to  immediate  discharge. 

Return  this  card  to  CONTRACTOR  when  final 
pay  is  drawn. 

Signed  ..Mti^fi/ift^  


Figure  38.    Contractor's  Employee's  Identification  Card  (face  and  reverse). 

(Size3^x2Ji.) 


88  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

serve  sometimes  to  bring  out  monetary  difficulties  existing 
among  the  workmen,  which,  if  relieved,  make  them  more 
efficient  employees.  In  addition,  this  information  may  single 
out  the  shiftless  and  the  improvident. 

These  slips  are  returned  to  the  employment  department  for 
filing  in  the  employees*  folder. 

Employee's  Pass 

The  employee's  pass  (Figure  37)  permits  a  workman  to 
leave  the  plant  at  any  stated  time  before  the  regular  quitting 
hour.  It  indicates  the  reasons  for  his  leaving,  which  may  be 
sickness,  accident,  discharge,  lay-off,  resignation,  or  finished 
work.  If  he  is  going  out  with  a  bundle  of  tools  or  other 
property  rightfully  belonging  to  him,  the  fact  is  noted  and 
he  is  at  liberty  to  take  such  property  with  him.  The  foreman 
checks  the  hour  the  employee  is  leaving,  so  does  the  employ- 
ment department.  The  watchman  signs  the  card,  noting  the 
hour  of  the  bearer's  departure,  and  sends  back  the  card  to 
the  employment  department. 

Contractor's  Employee's  Identification  Card 

A  contractor's  employee's  identification  card  (Figure  38) 
is  issued  to  workmen  who  are  on  a  contractor's  pay-roll,  also 
to  those  who  have  occasion  to  visit  the  plant  at  regular  inter- 
vals for  business  purposes.  This  pass,  duly  filled  in,  is  signed 
both  by  the  employment  department  and  the  superintendent. 
On  its  reverse  side,  the  holder  in  his  own  handwriting  signs 
his  name  for  the  purpose  of  identification.  (The  finger-print 
may  also  be  added.)  When  the  holder's  business  relation  or 
work  terminates  it  is  imperative  that  he  return  this  card  to 
the  employment  department.  The  loss  of  this  card  carries 
with  it  a.  fine  of  25  cents  to  provide  for  another  card,  which 
is  stamped  "Duplicate." 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


89 


Visitor's  Pass 

A  visitor's  pass  (Figure 
superintendent  to  those 
who  are  permitted  to  visit 
certain  specific  depart- 
ments. It  bears  instruc- 
tions that  it  be  worn  in  a 
conspicuous  place  on  the 
holder's  person,  and  that 
it  be  returned  to  the 
employment  department 
or  superintendent  upon 
the  termination  of  the 
visit. 

Work  Pass  for  Employee 
Reporting  at  an  Hour 
Other  Than  the  Regu- 
lar Working  Hour 

A  work  pass  (Figure 
40)  is  issued  by  the 
foreman  to  an  employee 
who  has  agreed  to  re- 
turn to  work  at  an 
hour  other  than  his 
regular  working  hour. 
Spaces  are  provided  for 
noting  the  usual  de- 
tails, the  department  in 
which  he  is  to  work, 
and  the  date  and  hours 
at  which  he  is  to  begin 
form  automatically  acts  as 


39)  is  issued  exclusively  by  the 


Maohlnlets  Foundry  «  Maohin*  Co. 


.Dept. 

^t  Experimental  Oepattmeat 

Hy  ^.^a^^4if<<^ 

Bearer  Enters  Plant  on  His  Own 
R'lsk  in  Case  of  Accident 

This  pass  must  be  displayed  while  going 

through  platit  and  returned  to  office 

when  leaving  premises. 


Figure  39.  Visitor's  Pass.  (Size  2^  x  3J^.) 


Machinists  Foundry  A  Machine  Co. 

WORK  PASS 

Name S^OttfC-JU^OTtS.. 

Clock  No..  J:{ffS. f... „ _ 

DtpaHmtMWtCTtateZlCH^ZJ^Clt. 

Ftom y^M  i/  ^^iH 

Ponman 


Figure  40.     Work    Pass    for    Employee 

Reporting  at  an  Hour  Other  Than  His 

Regular  Time.     (Size  3^x2^.) 

and   finish.      Possession   of   this 
an  in-and-out  pass.     The  guard 


90 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


e^^^iMiMit^m^aaiMttMii 


h  h  h 


I<a0||«<ln33o 


s  ^r. 


II 


11 


^     |«)a»iuiJiid»a  j 


£    2    £ 


a 

Q 

0) 

a 

O 


O 

03 


PlH 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS  91 

notes  the  time  of  entry,  and  checks  up  and  collects  the  form 
at  the  time  of  exit. 

Labor  Turnover  Forms 

The  forms  shown  in  Figures  41,  42,  and  43  designed  to 
record  cumulative  figures  and  information  regarding  labor 
turnover,  were  developed  by  E.  H.  Fish  of  the  Norton  Grind- 


PLANT  SUMMARY 

Entrances:  Number  Per  Cent 

I.  Employed. 


2,  Reemployed. 

3.  Transferred. 


4.  Total  entrances. 


Exits: 

5.  Left  of  own  accord. 

6.  Discharged 

7.  Laid  ofif 

8.  Transferred 

9.  Unavoidable 


10.   Total  exits 

Deduct  transferred  and  unavoidable  (8  and  9) . 

Balance — Plant  turnover 

Remarks: 


Figure  42.     Summary  of  Labor  Turnover  for  Entire  Plant  Arranged  by- 
Departments 

ing  Company.  Figure  41,  for  tabulating  the  turnover  for 
any  one  department,  is  arranged  by  dates,  while  Figure  42  is 
a  summary  of  the  labor  turnover  for  the  entire  plant,  com- 
piled from  a  form  similar  to  Figure  41,  except  that  instead 
of  being  arranged  by  dates  for  one  department,  it  is  arranged 
by  departments  for  the  entire  plant.  The  form  shown  in 
Figure  41,  has  a  summary  similar  to  Figure  42,  except  that 
it  summarizes  the  turnover  for  one  department  only. 


92 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


MONTHLY  LABOR 


ENTQANCaS 


EX/TS 


/V£l^ 


W^ 


TPAMSFfRJ^^D 


^^ 


LENGTH 

or 

5E/^y/CE 


L^ET  VOLUNTAR/LY 


WAGES 


I 


JUMror/ess 


im.fb/Ah 


ANODE 
M/LL 


ff&6.Mos. 


6fo/2Mos. 


no2Years 


2fb3years 


3  fb  4  Years 


Oyer4)^ars 


JWeekorkss 


IiVk.h/Mo. 


/fo6Mos. 


SMELTE/^ 


6fbl2Mos. 


I  to  2  Years 


2ii>3Years 


3to4Years 


0ver4Years 


imekorkss 


/m.  hi  Mo. 


//b  6  A/as. 


6hl2Mos. 


Ift>2Years 


Oyer  4  Years 


I  Week  or /ess 


/m./i)//^o. 


TOTAL  OE 
OEPA/5T- 
ME/VT3 


//o6Mos. 


6/b!2/^03. 


/to  2  Years 


2/0  3  Years 


3  h4  Years 


0^r4Years 


\ 


Figure  43. 


Adaptation  of  Figure  41,  to  meet 
Record  of  turnover 


ADJUSTMENTS,    PASSES,    IDENTIFICATIONS 


93 


; 

5X/TS 

DJ3CH/i/2GED 

lA/D  OFF 

T/?AmFf/^f?£di 

amw/PABLE 

: 

\ 

5!^ 

1 

I. 

1 

^ 

1 

1 

5 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

b5; 

1 

1 
1 

\ 

\ 

1 

i 

1 

ll 

1 

«5 

1 

\ 

ifh 

% 

/ 

, 

\ 

, 

1 

1 

1 

MONTHLY  SUMMAQy 

ENTRANCES- 

Emp/oyed 

ffs6/np/oycc/ 

"^ 

~^ 

Transferred 

Tofa/ 

EX/TS: 

1 

LeftVo/unfarily 

j 

Discharged 

1 

Laid  Off 

\ 

Transferred 

r 

Unavoidable 

I 

Total 

Deduct  Unayoidabk 

Net  Gain  or  loss 

iZ 

. 

_ 

^ 

- 

— 

_ 

^ 

J 

M: 

r 

■^ 

— 

— 

— 

- 

=■ 

- 

n 

— 

— 

- 

n 

— 1 

q 

n 

==^ —       '     ■    

^ . 

L- 

^ 

L 

J 

r 

_ 

h; 

_ 

the  Requirements  of  a  Large  Copper  Plant 

by  departments. 


94  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

With  such  modifications  as  may  suggest  themselves  in 
meeting  the  requirements  of  an  individual  plant,  the  blanks 
are  readily  adaptable  to  any  new  industry.  An  illustration 
of  an  adaptation  is  shown  in  Figure  43,  the  slight  change 
being  made  to  accommodate  the  needs  of  a  large  copper  plant. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
JOB  ANALYSIS 

Importance  of  Job  Analysis 

It  is  impossible  for  the  employment  manager  to  place  the 
right  man  in  the  right  job  unless  he  has  a  very  definite  and 
specific  knowledge  of  job  requirements.  Too  frequently  the 
function  of  character  analysis  has  been  overemphasized,  and 
that  of  job  analysis  underemphasized.  To  be  successful,  the 
employment  manager  must  conduct  his  analysis  of  jobs  just 
as  thoroughly  and  ably  as  his  analysis  of  men. 

The  average  department  head  or  foreman  has  a  general 
idea  of  job  requirements,  accumulated  in  a  vague  way,  but 
they  lack  definiteness  and  clarity.  It  is  the  function  of  the 
employment  manager  to  gather  these  ideas  from  all  quarters 
and  bring  them  into  coherence  and  order  on  the  basis  of  a 
few  fundamentals. 

Methods  of  Analysis 

Various  tentative  methods  and  systems  have  been  tried 
out  in  different  plants  and  have  produced  substantial  results. 
In  all  cases,  however,  it  is  a  question  of  adaptation ;  the  method 
of  job  analysis  must  be  adapted  to  existing  conditions.  It  is 
not  probable  that  a  perfect  and  comprehensive  scheme  will 
ever  be  evolved  which  can  serve  as  a  standardized  method 
for  analyzing  and  classifying  jobs  in  all  plants.  For  this 
reason  there  will  always  be  a  place  for  the  professional  in- 
vestigator to  bring  the  results  of  his  study  and  training  to 
bear  upon  the  special  circumstances  and  peculiar  needs  of  a 
particular  plant. 

95 


96  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

One  fundamental  is  always  applicable:  Seek  "competent 
counsel.'*  Everybody,  even  the  most  humble  subforeman, 
straw-boss,  or  workman,  who  can  furnish  required  information 
and  throw  necessary  light  on  some  subject,  must  be  considered 
a  counselor  for  that  purpose.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
one  person  can  impart  to  another  in  a  few  minutes  knowledge 
which  he  has  himself  spent  ten  years  in  learning.  But  the 
ability  of  the  recipient  to  assimilate  the  knowledge,  to  make 
it  an  addition  to  his  own  effective  power,  is  a  test  of  his  own 
fitness  for  his  job. 

A  Systematic  Survey 

In  making  an  analysis  of  the  jobs  in  a  plant,  it  is  best 
to  begin  by  compiling  items  of  importance  regarding  job 
analysis  in  questionnaire  form.  (See  Figure  44.)  These 
items  should  be  taken  from  every  source  and  arranged  con- 
sistently with  the  needs  of  the  work  and  the  surrounding 
conditions.  Help  in  compiling  this  questionnaire  may  readily 
be  obtained  from  the  foremen  and  even  from  the  workmen, 
by  showing  them  that  a  clear-cut  definition  of  their  work 
will  provide  a  more  equitable  basis  for  fair  dealing,  good 
service,  and  just  compensation. 

The    employment    manager    should    bring    together    the    • 
executives  and  foremen  to  explain  to  them  the  necessity  for   » 
their  assistance  in  the  task  of  job  analysis.     They  must  be . 
shown  that  by  defining  the  jobs  under  their  supervision  they, 
will  enable  the  employment  department  to  develop  a  system 
by  which  better  men  can  be  selected  for  every  job  in  the 
plant,  and  that  as  a  result,  they  will  be  supplied  with  more 
efficient  employees. 

After  this  general  consultation,  the  employment  manager 
should  make  a  personal  visit  to  each  department,  ask  a  number  ; 
of  questions,  and  take  careful  and  copious  notes  concerning  ■> 
the  different  tasks. 


JOB   ANALYSIS  97 

The  plan  in  concrete  form  is  as  follows:  He  should  have 
each  foreman  submit  a  list  of  the  jobs  in  his  department  with 
their  titles,  and  a  general  description  of  the  work  involved  in 
each  one.  From  this  survey,  the  employment  manager  should 
get  a  general  knowledge  of  all  operations  and  the  foremen's 
ideas  of  the  types  of  men  they  want.  It  is  wise  to  get  an 
insight  of  the  foreman's  conception  of  the  job,  that  is,  the 
conception  which  he  has  formed  by  association  and  contact. 

Using  the  Questionnaire  Form 

When  the  survey  has  been  completed,  the  data  procured 
are  correlated  and  issued  in  the  form  of  a  questionnaire.  This 
questionnaire  includes  all  the  important  questions  reduced  to 
the  form  of  a  chart.  To  make  the  subject  more  specific,  each 
subforeman  should  be  given  a  copy  of  the  questionnaire,  with 
written  and  oral  instructions  to  write  out  the  exact  nature  of 
the  job  and  then  check  off  the  items  consistent  with  the 
requirements.     (See  Figure  44.) 

A  Variation  of  the  Plan 

The  more  intelligent  employee  may  be  required  to  answer 
a  list  of  questions  regarding  his  own  duties,  problems,  and  ex- 
periences. This  list  should  be  given  to  him,  together  with  a 
request  for  criticism  and  suggestions,  and  with  such  an  ex- 
planation of  the  purpose  of  the  study  as  will  enlist  his  co- 
operation. The  questions  can  be  selected  from  the  same  sheets 
as  are  furnished  to  the  foremen. 

One  set  of  sheets  may  be  used  for  recording  the  informa- 
tion regarding  three  jobs  by  using  three  different  colors,  say, 
black  for  filling  in  the  information  about  one  job  (represented 
in  Figure  44  by  small  italic  letters),  red  for  another  (repre- 
sented in  Figure  44  by  italic  capitals),  and  blue  for  a  third 
(represented  in  Figure  44  by  small  roman  capitals). 


9^  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Name:  James  Blake 

Department:  Motor  This   may   be   used   to   record 

data    covering    3    distinct    jobs. 

Use  Pencils  Jobs:  Tool-Maker 

Blue  MILLING  MACHINE  OPERATOR 

Red  Multiple    Drill    Press    Operator 
Black 

Explain  just  what  is  done  on  jobs  you  supervise,  stating  briefly  the 
exact  nature  of  the  work. 

Job:     Tool-Maker Also  known  as:    Gauge  and   Fixture 

Expert.     It  is  closely  allied  to :  Expert  Machinist 

Remarks:  Must  he  thoroughly  skilled  operator  on  lathe,  milling  machine, 
profiler,  shaper,  drill  press,  and  grinders;  must  be  expert  on  filing,  scraping, 
general  bench  and  handwork.  Makes  tools,  jigs,  and  fixtures  by  hand  and 
by  machine.  Must  be  able  to  read  blue-prints,  gauges,  and  calipers.  Forms, 
shapes,  and  completes  finished  parts  from  the  rough 

Job:  OPERATION  No.  8  CYLINDER  DEPT.  Also  known  as:  MILL- 
ING MACHINE  HAND It  is  closely  allied  to: 

MA  CHINIST 

Remarks:  THIS  IS  PARTICULAR  WORK.  MILLS  3  PIECES 
SIMULTANEOUSLY,  GAUGES  THE  SETTING  OF  THE  CYLIN- 
DERS IN  THE  JIG  TO  SEE  THAT  TAPPET  GUIDES  ARE  IN 
ALIGNMENT.  OBSERVES  THAT  CUTTERS  ARE  CUTTING 
TRUE  AND  PARALLEL.  MUST  READ  MICROMETERS  AND 
DRAWINGS;   MUST  BE  ABLE  TO  HANDLE  STRAIGHT  EDGE. . . 

Job:    Operation  No.  3  on  Crank  Case Also  known  as: 

Multiple   Drill   Press   Operator.     It  is   closely   alHed   to:     Drill 

Press  Operator 

Remarks:  Must  be  capable  of  operating  standard  types  of  drilling 
machines.  Must  be  able  to  adjust  and  accurately  drill  or  bore, 
ream,  and  counter  bore  either  straight  or  inclined  holes.    should 

understand  PIN  GAUGES  AND  KNOW  WHEN  DRILLS  ARE  SHARP  AND  OF 
EVEN  LENGTH, 


Figure  44.  (a)     Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart.     (Sheet  i.) 


JOB   ANALYSIS 


99 


SURROUNDING  CONDITIONS 
Symbols 
tm —  Tool-maker 
MM— MILLING  MACHINE  OPERATOR 
DP — Multiple  Drill  Press  Operator 
Cleanly  tm  Hot  Noisy  MM  dp        Bending  tm  MM 

Dirty  MM  dp        Cold  Jerky  dp  Pushing  MM  dp 

Dry  tm  MM  Heavy  MM  Hazardous  Pulling  MM 

Moist  DP  Light  Crowded  spaces     Lifting  MM  dp 

Under  cover  Hard  tm  MM  dp  Carrying  MM  dp 

tm  MM  dp         Easy  Walking  tm  Done  on  machines 

Exposed  to  Strenuous  dp         Standing  tm  MM  dp 

weather  Agreeable  tm  MM  dp  By  hand  tm 

Daylight  tm  dp  tm  MM  dp         Sitting  tm 

Artificial  Light      Disagreeable 

MM  Monotonous 

Constant  or  with  Rest  Periods  Diiring: 

With  intervals  of  Operations , 

Between  Operations 

Is  the  job  Permanent?     Yes     YES    Yes 

Is  the  job  Temporary? .... 

Does   it   require    Mechanical    (tm  MM  dp)    Business    (  ),    or 

Executive  Ability?     (  )  of  a  high  order.     Some 

Does  it  require  experience?     Yes    SOME    Some 

What  Trade  or  past  experience  would  be  helpful?     Machinist,  draftsman, 

MA  CHINIST'S  HELPER    Drill  hand 

Technical  Education  or  Experience?     Preferable     NONE     None 

Special  Training?     Mathematical     MILLING  MACHINE     Drill  Hand 

Can  Work  be  Learned?     Yes     YES    Yes 

Does  one  have  a  chance  to  learn  this  work?      Yes,  here  in  plant.     YES, 

IN  SHOP 

How  long  does  it  take  and  by  what  method?     4  to  6  years    i  YEAR  IN 

SHOP    Six  months 

Should   he   know   how    to    read    a    Blue-print?      Yes    PREFERABLE 

Preferable 

Does  it  require  a  general  education?     Technical  High  School  Preferred 

COMMON  SCHOOL    Common  School 

Is  it  in  line  of  Promotion?     To  what  extent?     Foreman  TO  GENERAL 

MILLING  MACHINE    Boring  Mill 

Time  it  takes  to  Earn  an  Advance?    3  MONTHS     3  Months 

Starting  Rate?     Eighty  cents     FORTY-SIX  CENTS    Forty-two  cents 

Day  Rate? 

Maximum  Rate?     $Q.oo  per  day    $6.00  PER  DA  Y    $5.00  per  day 

Piece  Work?     MM    pd 

Hours?     Nine-^NINE+NINE 

Shifts?    Day    Day  and  Night    Day  and  Night 

To    what    extent    may    be    handicapped?     Missing    Limb     MISSING 

FINGER    Missing  Finger 

What  kind  of  person  do  you  prefer  in  appearance?     WIRY    Strong 

Stocky 


Figure  44.  (b)     Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart.  (Sheet  2.) 


100 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Symbols 


Desirable — May  have 
d — Tool-maker 

D — Milling  Machine  Operator 
D — Multiple  Drill  Press  Operator 


Essential — Must  have 
e — Tool-maker 

E — Milling  Machine  Operator 
E — Multiple  Drill  Press  Operator 


Undesirable — Must  not  have 
n — Tool-maker 

N — Milling  Machine  Operator 
N — Multiple  Drill  Press  Operator 


Preference  of  Nationality:    American    AMERICAN 


Male  dE-E 
Female 
Single  D  D 
Married  d  D  d 
Widower  or  Widow 

Family: 

Dependents  d 

Unity 

Inspiration 

Age  in  Years:  251050, 
21  TO  40,21  TO  45 
Yotmg 
Middle-aged 
Old 

Body  Build:  -4 »y  Build 
Tall 
Short 

Medium  D 
Heavy 
Light 
Stocky  d 
Wiry  J  D 
Masculine  D  d 
Feminine 

Quality  of  Skin,  Hair, 
and  Features 
Fine  d 
Delicate 
Coarse  d 
Medium  D  d 


Bone  and  Muscle: 
Hard  d 

Rigid — not  movable 
Soft— Flabby 
Yielding 
Elastic--Springy  d  D 

Health:  Normal  NOR- 
MAL    Normal 
Circulation 
Nutrition — Digestion 
Respiration — Lungs 
Muscular  System  D 
Nervous  System 

Free  from:  Normal 
Normal 

Deafness 

Partial  Blindness 

Rheumatism  N 

Rupture  N 

Chronic  diarrhea 

Kidney  trouble  N 

Tuberculosis 
Strength: 

Back  D  D 

Limbs  D  d 

Arms  D  D  d 

Hands  D  d 

Fingers  D  D 

Abdominal  muscles 
Dd 


American    or 
Italian 
Parts  of  Body  Under 
Strain: 
Shoulders  D  d 
Arms  D  d 
Hands  D  d 
Fingers  D  d 
Back  D  D 
Small  of  back  d 
Knees  d 
Limbs  D 
Feet  D 
Abdomen  D  d 


Endurance  of: 


Agility: 

Speed   of   foot   move- 
ments 
Body  balance  D  d 
AbiUty  to  cHmb 


Activity: 
Slow 
Quick  D 
Sustained  d 
Spasmodic — ^Jerky 
Control  d 
Continuity 
Carefulness  D 
Rhythm 


Figure  44.  (c)     Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart.  (Sheet  3.) 


JOB  ANAliYsiS- 


lot 


Senses 

Activity  {Cont.) ; 

Skilled  e 

Hands:  Medium 

Sight:  Keen 

Semiskilled  D  d 

Small  d 

Color 

Unskilled 

Large  2> 

Range 

Length 

Far 

Skill: 

Width 

Near 

Mechanical  e  D  D 

Thick 

Astigmatic  n 

Drafting  e 

Thin 

Disease 

Mathematical  e 

Speed 

Co-ordination  d 

Trade 

Co-ordination 

Focus 

Mental 

Ambidexterity 

Glasses:  Permissible 

Physical: 

Location 

Hands  e 

Fingers: 

Comparative 

Fingers  e 

Strength 

Feet 

Grip  d 

Hearing:  NORMAL 

Speed  L 

Normal 

Arms: 

Endurance 

Deafness 

Strength 

Control 

Trueness 

Lift  £d 

Span 

Perception:  Keen 

Push  E  D 

Touch  i 

Range 

Twist  D 

Co-ordination 

Speed  D 

Endurance  d 

' 

Nose: 

Obstruction 
Smell 

Figure  44.    (d)  Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart.    (Sheet  4.) 


102 


GETTING  'EMPLOYEES 


Action 

Capacity  {Cont.) 

Force  {Cont.) 

Accuracy: 

Education  {Cont.) 

Imagination: 

Mental: 

Cx)mmon  D  d 

Practical  e  D 

Discriminating 

Technical  e 

Theoretical  e 

Physical: 
Calni 

High  school 

Inventive  e 

College 

Analytical  e 

Cautious 

Correspondence 

Constructive  e 

Painstaking  dDo 

Business 

Association 

Thorough  d 

Current 

Egotism: 

Artistic: 

Information: 

Teachable  d  e 

Drawing  d 

General 

Responsible  e  D 

Designing  d 

Mechanical  e  D  vt 

Dependable  e  D  n 

Modeling 

Chemical  d 

Self-confidence 

Originality  d 

Commercial 

Authority 
Pride 
Prejudice 
Vanity 

Estimating: 
Weight  e 

Usefulness 

Pressure  e 

Executive: 

Number  e 

Leader 

Ambition: 

Space  e  D 

Imitator  d  D  ly 

Progressive  e 

Plumb  e  D 

Planner  e 

Versatile  e 

Speed  e  Dd 

Driver 

Active  D 

Aim  e  d 

Instructive  D 

Passive 

Music: 

Concentration: 

Will: 

Piano 

Periodic 

Endurance  e  D 

Violin 

Continuous  d 

Determination 

Banjo 

Observant  d 

Obstinacy 

Cornet 
Mandolin 

Specializing  D  d 

Assertion 
Vacillation 

Guitar 

System: 

Adaptability  e 

Organ 

Methodic 

Coercion 

Flute 

Foresight 

Detail  d 

Character 

Capacity 

Terminology: 

Economy: 
Home  d 

Memory: 

Mechanical  d 

Board 

Eyee 

Commerce 

Debts  n 

Ear  e 

Office  practice 

Bankrupt 

Tabulation 

Technical  d 

Dependents 

Touch  e 

Insurance 

Form  e 

Force 

Bank  account  d 

Names 

Other  income 

Faces 

Reasoning: 
Idealism 

Fixed  outgo 

Education : 

Materialism 

Reliability: 

None 

Judgment  e 

Reticence 

Elementary 

Comprehension  e 

Caution 

Figure  44.     (e)  Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart.    (Sheet  5.) 


JOB   ANALYSIS 


103 


Character  (Cont.) 

Appearance  {Cont.) 

Appearance  (Cont.) 

Reliability  (Cont.) 

Attitude: 

Man-handling: 

Conservatism 

Commanding 

■^ace-reading 

Steadiness  D  d 

Dignified 

Action-reading 

Industry  e  D  d 

Confident  d 

Humor 

Loyalty  e  D  d 

Neutral  D  D 

Tact 

Obedience  e  d  D  d 

Humble 

Promptness  d  D  d 

Blas6 

Erect 

Habits: 

Interests — Hobbies : 

Stooping 

Dnigs 

Indoor     Food 

Eflfeminacy 

Smoke  n  N 

Outdoor  Garden 

Gambling 

Home       Nature 

Features: 

Sporty 

Children  Animals 

Expression 

Abstainer 

Books      Sodal 

Worry 

Dissipation 

Science  e  Cards 

Kindness  d  D  u 

Puritanic 

Art           Travel 

Firmness  d 

Business  Sports 

Temp'er 

Auto 

Dissipation 

Disposition: 

Trustworthy  d  D  n 

Good  nature  d  D  d 

Trusting 

Irritable  n 
Courteous  d  D 

Appearance 

Conversation: 

JoUity 

Profuse 

Demonstrative 

Neatness: 

Medium 

Combative 

Clothes  d 

Sparing  d  D  D 

Complaining  N  n 

Linen 

Gossipy 

Easiness 

Shoes 

Convincing 

Affection 

Hair 

Argumentative 

Workd 

Listless 

Figure  44.     (f)  Specimen  of  Job  Analysis  Chart.    (Sheet  6.) 


104  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

The  advantage  of  this  method  is  apparent.  It  saves  paper, 
time,  and  labor ;  the  useless  multiplication  of  sheets  is  in  itself 
sufficient  to  discourage  or  frighten  the  average  foreman.  In 
going  over  a  single  sheet  three  times,  one  is  more  likely  to 
discover  items  that  have  been  overlooked  than  if  the  sheet 
is  gone  over  but  once. 

Symbolic  Arrangement 

Symbols  may  be  arranged  for  checking  off  the  require- 
ments or  qualities  desirable  in  workmen,  the  qualities  which 
are  essential,  and  the  qualities  which  are  undesirable.  In 
Figure  44  these  symbols  are : 

D.  Desirable 

E.  Essential 

N.  Undersirable 

Those  referring  to  the  tool-maker  are  in  small  italic  letters, 
those  to  the  milling  machine  operator  in  italic  capitals,  and 
those  to  the  multiple  drill  press  operator  in  small  roman 
capitals. 

For  instance,  if  a  cf  appears  opposite  the  word  "tall," 
it  means  that  it  is  desirable  and  preferable  that  a  tool-maker 
be  tall.  If  ^  appears,  it  means  that  he  must  be  tall.  If  w 
appears,  it  means  that  a  tall  man  will  not  do  for  this  job.  If 
d  is  used  alongside  of  "tall,"  and  n  alongside  of  "short,"  it 
means  that  it  is  desirable  that  the  worker  be  tall  and  that 
a  short  man  will  not  do  at  all,  and  that  medium  height  will 
do  if  a  tall  man  is  not  available.  In  like  manner  this  symbolism 
may  be  applied  to  the  items  on  the  other  pages  of  Figure  44. 

When  using  three  colors  a  convenient  arrangement  of 
marks  is  v,  x,  or  — ,  the  v  indicating  desirable,  the  x  essential, 
and  the  —  undesirable ;  the  color  in  which  the  symbol  is  written 
varies,  of  course,  for  each  job  being  studied. 


JOB   ANALYSIS  I05 

To  fill  these  charts  out  the  foreman  must  study  them. 
He  is  thus  set  to  thinking.  As  a  consequence  he  makes  what 
is  probably  his  first  analysis  of  the  jobs  he  has  supervised 
for  years,  and  he  becomes  aware  of  many  points  he  has  con- 
sistently overlooked. 

Attitude  of  Foremen 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  different  points  of  view  taken 
by  the  foremen,  according  to  the  difference  in  their  types  of 
mind  and  training.  A  spirit  of  willingness  and  helpfulness 
is  usually  demonstrated,  however,  and  many  become  so  in- 
terested that  they  study  the  sheets  with  great  earnestness.  In 
fact,  95  per  cent  of  the  foremen  enlisted  to  do  this  work  hand 
in  the  completed  sheets. 

The  employment  manager's  next  task  is  to  visit  each  de- 
partment to  check  up  the  foreman's  findings.  While  on  these 
visits  he  may  make  detailed  notes  of  anything  that  seems  to 
have  been  omitted  or  incorrectly  described  by  the  foreman. 

Checking  up  the  Foremen 

The  employment  manager,  in  analyzing  the  job,  checks  up 
with  the  foreman  along  the  following  lines: 

1.  Classification  of  jobs  and  title  of  each. 

2.  Interpretation  of  the  tasks  furnished  by  executives, 

foremen,  and  workmen. 

3.  Study  of  the  physical  surroundings. 

4.  Details  of   job   requirements,   such   as   age,   weight, 

height,  and  posture,  and  whether  the  job  is  done 
in  a  sitting,  standing,  stooping,  or  walking  position. 

5.  Number  of  hours  a  man  is  required  to  work. 

6.  Overtime  analysis.    Can  the  job  afford  to  give  over- 

time?   It  cannot,  of  course,  if  it  is  of  too  exhausting 
a  nature. 


Io6  GETTING    EMPLOYEES 

7.  The  starting  wage,  the  rate  of  increase,  the  time  it 
takes  to  earn  promotion,  and,  in  general,  what  the 
promotion  possibiHties  are;  also  how  the  seasonal 
influence  would  affect  the  earning  capacity. 

In  verifying  the  foreman's  findings,  the  employment 
manager  must  look  at  the  job  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
man  that  works.  He  must  note  the  necessary  physical  strength 
required,  as  well  as  the  special  kind,  whether  of  the  back, 
the  arm,  the  hand,  or  the  limbs;  whether  of  lifting,  pulling, 
stooping,  carrying,  or  of  general  endurance;  and  the  condi- 
tions, surrounding  the  job  that  would  disqualify  a  man  with 
a  particular  predisposition  or  tendency  to  some  ailment,  such 
as  rheumatism,  asthma,  etc.  The  information  obtained  as 
a  result  of  these  analyses  forms  a  basis  for  improvement. 
He  must  consider  whether  it  is  preferable  to  have  a  married 
man,  a  man  with  family,  or  a  single  man.  He  must  further 
interpret  and  deal  with  the  foreman's  preference  for  various 
nationalities,  races,  creeds,  and  types;  apart  from  personal 
predilection,  particular  nationalities  and  races  are  without 
doubt  best  adapted  for  certain  departments.  He  must  take 
account,  finally,  of  essential  sociological  considerations  and 
mental  qualities  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  checked  on 
Sheets  5  and  6,  Figure  44. 

Collating  the  Information 

Having  reduced  to  writing  these  personal  observations, 
the  employment  manager  collates  them  with  the  information 
on  the  questionnaires  and  transfers  the  essential  data  from 
both  to  another  sheet  (Figure  45).  This  paper  is  then  sub- 
mitted for  corrections,  pruning,  and  approval  to  the  head 
foreman,  superintendent,  works'  manager,  and  one  or  more 
of  the  executives.  The  non-essentials  are  subsequently 
eliminated  and  what  has  been  overlooked  is  added.  All  facts 
and  important  impressions  are  thus  utilized. 


JOB   ANALYSIS 


107 


Position:  Tool-maker 


ICnown  also  as: 


Department:  Motor 

Name  of  Foreman:  James  Blake 

Conditions  surrounding  Job :  Cleanly,  under 
cover,  daylight,  hard,  walking,  standing, 
sitting,  bending;  agreeable,  work  at  rrmchine 
and  by  hand 

Duties:  Makes  tools,  jigs,  and  fixtures  by 
hand  and  by  machine;  forms,  shapes  and 
completes  finished  parts  from  the  rough; 
should  know  how  to  fit  any  and  all  parts  to  a 
machine. 

Experience:  Ability,  Technical  or  Otherwise: 
Skilled  Operator  on  lathe,  milling  machine, 
profiler,  shaper,  drill  press,  and  grinders. 
Must  be  able  to  read  blue-prints,  gauges,  and 
calipers. 

Special  Training  or  Trade:  Tool-maker. 
Technical  training  helpful. 

Past  Experience  Helpful:  Machinist  and 
draftsman. 

Education:  Common  school  plus  mathemat- 
ical studies. 

Work  can  be  learned  and  would  take:  4  to  6 
years;  4  years  as  apprentice,  2  years  in 
shop. 

Promotion  Possibilities:   To  Foremanship. 

Nationality  Preference:  American. 

Handicapped  to  the  Extent  of:  Missing 
limb  if  sitting  down;  preferably  physically 

fix 

Body  Build:  Medium,  Wiry 

Strength:  Arms,  Hands  and  Fingers,  Grasp. 

Agility  and  Activity 

Skill:   Mechanical,  Mathematical,  Mental, 
Drawing,  Designing — Original 

Qualities  and  Abilities: 

Painstaking  Practiced 

Thorough  Theoretical 

Initiative  Analytical 

Concentrative        Inventive 


Gauge  and  Fixture  Expert 
Skilled  d  e 
Semiskilled  n 
Unskilled  n 

Shifts:  Day  and  Night 

Hours  9 

Rates 

Starting  80c. 
Maximum  $g.oo  a  day 


Piece 

Day 

Married  e 

Single  d         Age  25  to  50 

Family 


Parts  of  Body  Under  Strain : 
Shoulders,  Hands  and  Fin 
g  rs 

Senses: 

Sight:  Range  far  and  near 

Hearing:      Trueness     and 
Perception 

Touch:  Deft. 

Estimation  of  weight,  pressure 
Number,  space,  plumb,  speed. 


Health :   Free  from  any  acute 
or  chronic  ailment 


Teachable 

A  mbitious 

Dependable 

Industrious 

Versatile 

Loyal 

Adaptable 

Democratic 

Figure  45.     Employment  Manager's  Epitomized  Analysis  of  Job 


io8  GETTING  EMPLOYEES 

Five  versions  of  the  analysis  are  now  at  hand: 

1.  That  of  the  worker  actually  engaged  on  the  job. 

2.  That  of  the  subforeman  or  supervisor  of  the  job. 

3.  That  of  the  employment  manager,  prepared  by  his 

investigation. 

4.  That  of  the  head  foreman. 

5.  That  of  the  executive. 

Finally,  there  emerges  the  clarified  summary  of  the  require- 
ments for  any  particular  job  in  the  plant,  which,  upon  being 
transferred  to  a  new  sheet  on  a  typewritten  form,  becomes 
a  permanent  record — a  job  specification  (Figure  46) — to 
which  the  employment  department  may  refer  at  any  future 
time.  This  form  constitutes  a  strictly  private  document, 
chiefly  because  it  would  be  next  to  useless  in  any  other  plant. 
Every  firm  has  to  build  its  own  system  of  job  analysis  in 
its  own  way,  either  with  or  without  professional  help.  The 
method  outlined  here  is  merely  suggestive;  but  the  sugges- 
tions are  intended  to  cover  every  phase  of  the  problem  so 
completely  that  the  job  specifications  for  any  plant  may  be 
worked  out  without  further  instructions. 

Advantages  of  the  Analysis 

The  advantages  of  the  system  are  apparent.  Among  the 
most  important  are: 

1.  The  executives,  foremen,  and  workmen  are  brought  to 
think  seriously  and  systematically  about  the  jobs  and  about 
the  possibility  of  better  conditions. 

2.  An  intelligent  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  working  force 
is  encouraged. 

3.  A  closer  relationship  is  established  between  the  working 
force  and  the  executives,  which  lessens  the  likelihood  of  dis- 
agreement. 

4.  The  workmen  are  benefited.    Not  only  can  information 


JOB  ANALYSIS 


109 


Position:  Tcxjl-maker 

Department:  Motor 

Name  of  Foreman:  James 
Blake 


Known  ALSO  as:  Gauge  and  Fixture  Expert 
Shifts:  Day  and  Night 
Hours:  9 


Conditions  Surrounding  Job 


Cleanly 
Dry 

Under  cover 
Daylight 


Hard 
Walking 
Standing 
Sitting 


Bending 
Agreeable 
Work  at  machine 
and  by  hand 


Rates 
Starting,  80  cents 
Maximun,  $9  a  day 


Married 
Single 
Family 
Age:  25  to  50 


Duties:  Makes  tools,  jigs,  fixtures  by  hand  and  by  ma- 
chine; forms,  shapes,  and  completes  finished  parts 
from  the  rough;  should  know  how  to  fit  any  and  all 
parts  to  a  machine 

Experience,  Ability,  Technical  or  Otherwise: 
Skilled  operator,  on  lathe  milling  machine,  profiler, 
shaper,  drill  press,  and  grinders.  Must  be  able  to 
read  all  blue-prints,  gauges,  and  calipers 

Special  Training  or  Trade:  Tool-maker.    Technical  training  helpful 

Past  Experience  Helpful:  Machinist  and  Draftsman 

Education:  Common  School  plus  mathematical  studies 

Work  Can  Be  Learned  and  Would  Take:   4  to  6  years;   4  years  as 
apprentice;  2  years  in  shop 

Promotion  Possibilities:  To  Foreman 
ship 

Nationality  Preference:  American 


Handicapped  to  the  Extent  of  :  Miss- 
ing limb  if  sitting  down;  preferably 
physically  perfect 

Body  Build:  Medium,  wiry 

Strength:    Arms,  hands,  and  fingers* 


Parts  of  Body  Under  Strain: 
Shoulders,  Hands  and  Fingers 
Senses: 

Sight:  Range,  far  and  near 
Hearing:    Trueness  and  per- 
ception 
Touch:  Deft 

Estimation  of  weight,  pressure, 
number,  space,  plumb,  speed, 


Skill:  Health: 

Mechanical  Mental        Designing        Free    from     any    acute    or 

Mathematical  Drawing     Original  chronic  ailment 

Qualities  and  Abilities: 

Painstaking  Practical  Teachable  Ambitious 

Thorough  Theoretical  Dependable  Industrious 

Initiative  Analytical  Versatile  Loyal 

Concentrative  Inventive  Adaptable  Democratic 


Figure  46.     The  Completed  Job  Specification  Form 


no  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

and  suggestions  now  be  given  to  new  employees  with  definite- 
ness,  but  a  basis  for  efficiency  ratings  is  established  for  the 
older  employee. 

5.  New  opportunities  for  advancement  and  promotion  are 
brought  to  light. 

6.  Demands  for  better  conditions  are  more  definite,  in- 
stead of  being  subject  to  whim  and  immature  judgment. 

7.  Jobs  can  be  graded  with  greater  ease  according  to  their 
maximum  desirability  or  according  to  the  amount  of  skill 
required. 

Not  only  is  this  material  of  service  in  placing  new  em- 
ployees and  in  making  promotions,  but  it  is  also  useful  in 
setting  before  applicants  the  advantages  of  working  in  a 
particular  plant. 

These  data  are  a  distinct  aid  in  hiring,  for  they  impress 
the  applicant  favorably.  The  trouble  tal^en  to  acquire  all 
this  exact  knowledge  of  working  conditions  indicates  such 
a  spirit  of  equity  in  ownership  and  management  as  is  likely 
to  give  each  man  a  fair  deal. 

Office  Job  Specifications 

Another  and  more  simple  type  of  job  specification  suitable 
for  use  in  connection  with  office  positions,  is  a  standardized 
form  (Figure  47),  which  includes  the  main  points  of 
similarity  in  each  job.  This  form  is  constructed  in  consulta- 
tion with  the  office  manager  and  chief  clerk,  and  a  sufficient 
supply  is  mimeographed  to  furnish  a  copy  to  each  office  em- 
ployee. Each  employee  then  specifies  and  describes  his  own 
duties  according  to  their  importance  and  schedule.  The  data 
requested  are  separated  into  three  divisions: 

1.  Regular  duties 

2.  Irregular  duties 

3.  Co-operative  duties 


JOB   ANALYSIS 


III 


ORGANIZATION 

Name:  T.  C.  Brouch 

Position:  Rating  and  transportation  manager 

Supervise:  Mr.  Klein,  Miss  Hudson,  Miss  WiUdns,  Miss  Summers 

Assistant:  Mr.  Klein 

Substitute:  Mr.  Morrison 

Report  to:  Mr.  Bauer,  Mr.  Sanderson,  and  Mr.  Twigg 

Duties 


Regular 

Frt.  Rating  &  Extend- 
ing 

Frt.  Chgs.  on  B/L 

^.xx)k  after  mail 

Adjust  claims 

Tack  rnaps 

Audit  all  incoming  frt. 
bills 

Tracing,  filing  claims 

Look  after  siding 

All  claims  and  R.E. 
affairs 


Report  of  activities 


Trace  all  R.R.  claims 
monthly 


Daily 
Irregular 

Sales  records 

Making  miscellaneous 
report 

Developing  rate  system. 

Check  up  territories. 

Handle  matters  for  other 

.   departments. 

Route  salesmen  and  ter- 
ritories 

Answering    and    taking 
care  of  all  complaints 


Weekly 
Keep  in  touch  with  sales- 
men 


Co-opefative 

Remind  other  depart- 
ments connected  with 
my  work  of  helpful 
suggestions. 

Developing  rates 

Think  one  hour  daily 
on  suggestions. 

Assist  shipping  clerk 


Take  mreof  salesmens' 
x-eoords  of  sales  made 
— ^not  made  and  why 


Monthly 


Yearly 


Reports 

Duties    Related   to    Sales    Department,    Record,    and   Advertising 
Department 

Extent    of    Responsibility:     Routing,    Transportation,    and    Duties 
Enumerated 


Figure   47.     Job   Specification    Blank   Suitable   for   Office   Positions 

The  employee  checks  his  own  duties. 


112  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

When  the  forms  have  been  filled  out  they  are  returned 
to  the  employment  manager,  a  careful  check  is  made  with 
the  assistance  of  the  chief  office  executives,  and,  finally,  the 
specification  sheets  are  bound  in  a  loose-leaf  book  for  reference. 
In  addition,  each  employee  is  given  a  copy  of  the  specification 
covering  his  job.  This  specification  embodies  instructions  and 
suggestions  for  his  benefit  and  assists  him  in  living  up  to  the 
most  approved  practice. 


CHAPTER  IX 

SECURING  THE  WORKER 

Methods  of  Getting  Help 

The  condition  of  the  labor  market,  the  kind  of  work  being 
done,  and  the  rates  of  wages,  determine  the  ease  or  difficulty 
with  which  workers  may  be  received.  To  meet  all  emergencies, 
however,  the  employment  manager  should  keep  on  file  a 
reserve  of  applicants.  To  do  this  he  must  familiarize  himself 
with  all  methods  of  getting  help,  select  those  which  have 
proved  efficacious  and  which  are  adapted  to  the  time,  the 
conditions,  and  the  establishment.  A  variety  of  methods  are 
in  common  use,  and  there  are  besides  certain  heroic  measures 
which  may  be  used  in  time  of  emergency. 

Four  Methods  in  General  Use 

The  chief  methods  in  general  use  may  be  classified  under 
four  heads: 

1.  Advertising 

2.  Soliciting 

3.  Scouting 

4.  Employment  agencies 

These  classes  may  be  subdivided  as  follows: 

I.  Advertising 

(a)  Newspapers 

(b)  Circulars 

(c)  Posters 

"3 


114  GETTING  EMPLOYEES 

2.  Soliciting 

(a)  Inside   assistance — recommendations  by   fore- 

men and  workmen 

(b)  Boarding-houses 

(c)  Previouslly  employed  employees 

3.  Scouting 

(a)  New  nationalities 

(b)  Rural  districts 

4.  Employment  agencies 

(a)  Private 

(b)  Municipal — co-operative 

(c)  Federal 

I.     Advertising — Five  Fundamentals 

Advertising  is  effective  as  a  means  of  securing  help  only 
when  proper  methods  are  used.  Too  often  a  lack  of  even 
elementary  advertising  knowledge  renders  futile  the  efforts  of 
the  employment  manager  in  this  direction.  A  general  idea 
of  the  following  essentials  will  serve  him  well  in  making  his 
advertising  effective: 

1.  Media 

2.  Layout 

3.  Thought  content 

4.  Forceful  presentation 

5.  Timeliness 

Media 

In  advertising  for  workmen,  the  newspaper  is  the  most 
important  medium  used  by  the  employment  manager.  The 
procuring  of  help  for  office  and  executive  positions  is  dis- 
cussed in  a  latter  part  of  the  book.  (See  Chapter  XXL) 
Local  papers  are  more  effective  media  for  securing  permanent 
employees  than  are  those  of  other  cities.     Workers  attracted 


SECURING   THE   WORKER  US 

from  other  cities  are  not  as  likely  to  remain  for  a  great  length 
of  time. 

If  the  plant  is  in  a  small  town,  the  newspapers  of  adjacent 
cities  should,  of  course,  be  used  as  well  as  the  local  paper. 
In  fact,  when  the  plant  located  in  a  small  town  is  the  most 
important  part  of  the  town  itself,  as  is  often  the  case,  ad- 
vertising in  the  local  paper  for  workers  is  a  useless  expenditure. 

Not  only  the  ordinary  local  paper,  but  any  foreign  language 
newspapers  which  circulate  in  the  town,  should  be  utilized. 
Every  nationality  has  its  own  peculiar  characteristics  and  the 
editors  of  such  a  paper  can  furnish  the  employment  manager 
with  valuable  information  as  to  the  best  methods  of  appealing 
to  his  readers.  One  of  these  editors,  for  instance,  suggested 
not  long  ago  a  most  effective  method  of  advertising  in  journals 
such  as  his  own.  The  plan  was  to  weave  the  advertisement 
into  an  editorial  or  sentimental  article,  placing  it,  if  possible, 
on  the  front  page  of  the  paper.  The  cost  was  greater,  of 
course,  but  experience  proved  that  it  paid. 

Whatever  advertising  media  are  chosen,  they  should  be 
selected  with  care  and  with  a  full  knowledge  as  to  their 
readers,  their  circulation,  and  the  possibilities  of  their  produc- 
ing results. 

Layout 

Practically  all  advertising  for  workmen  is  done  in  the 
classified  column  of  newspapers,  though  several  firms  have 
lately  conducted  extensive  and  successful  display  advertising 
campaigns  for  help.  The  latter  type  of  campaign  can  more 
properly  be  discussed,  however,  in  connection  with  the  secur- 
ing of  office  help.    (  See  Chapter  XXL  ) 

There  is  little  to  say  concerning  the  layout  of  a  classified 
advertisement,  since  the  rules  of  the  publication  usually  allow 
no  type  display  or  illustration.  But  two  opportunities  for 
increased  effectiveness  remain,  the  use  of  white  space  and 


Il6  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

different  sizes  of  type;  both  should  be  used  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage. 

White  space  is  a  wise  investment.  It  makes  the  printed 
matter  stand  out  by  contrast  and  is  in  no  sense  a  waste.  White 
space  strikes  the  eye,  arrests  the  attention,  and  creates  interest. 

Large  or  display  type  is  valuable  chiefly  in  dominating 
the  surrounding  zone,  in  making  the  advertisement  the  center 
of  vision,  in  making  it  stand  out  so  that  those  surrounding  it 
appear  merely  to  serve  as  a  background.  Figure  48  shows 
the  effective  use  of  white  space  and  display  type  in  this  way. 

Thought  Content 

Advertisements  enumerating  many  jobs  under  one  head; 
viz.,  "Wanted:  Carpenters,  Tool-makers,  Stenographers, 
Machinists,  and  Laborers,"  are  not  nearly  so  effective  as  those 
confined  to  one  specific  need.  A  carpenter  looking  for  a 
position  in  a  paper,  searches  particularly  for  a  carpenter's 
job.  He  stops  to  read  little  else  but  that  which  offers 
specifically  to  serve  his  purpose.  Mixed  advertisements  are 
likely  to  attract  the  "jack  of  all  trades,"  rather  than  the  serious 
job-seeker  who  is  master  of  one  trade  and  the  more  valuable 
because  of  that  fact. 

The  idea — the  purpose  of  the  advertisement — ^must  be 
clearly  expressed;  the  wording  must  exactly  convey  the 
thought.  Failure  to  do  so  may  cause  useless  and  irritating 
mistakes.  A  certain  firm,  for  example,  advertised  for  a 
"Switch-board  Operator,"  without  specifying  he  was  required 
for  the  electrical  power  plant.  As  a  result  many  telephone 
operators  applied  for  the  position,  and  valuable  time  was 
wasted  in  interviewing  them  and  in  making  excuses. 

The  approximate  rate  of  wages  should  be  specifically  men- 
tioned, together  with  the  probable  amount  of  overtime; 
whether  the  work  is  temporary  or  permanent;  what  shifts 
there  are;  and  whether  there  is  Sunday  work.     Only  those 


SECURING  THE   WORKER 


ii; 


LABORERS. 
OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  i.ooo  MEN 
SEEKING  EMPLOYMENT  AT  4Sc. 
AN  HOUR.  IN  NEW  YORK, 
BROOKLYN.  AND  LONG  ISLAND 
CITY;  ONLY  MEN  SEEKING 
WORK  NEED  APPLY;  SERVICE 
FREE  TO  ALL.  KNIGHTS  OP 
COLUMBUS  EMPLOYMENT  SER- 
VICE. LONGACRE  HUT,  46TH 
ST.  AND  BROADWAY. 


WANTED 
Man  experienced  in  the  manu- 
facture of  fancy  paper  boxes, 
thoroughly  capable  of  taking  charge 
and  handling  plant.  State  past  ex- 
perience. All  communications  strictly 
confidential.     Z  19s  Times  Annex. 


BETHLEHEM  STEEL  CO., 

MARYLAND  PLANT, 
SPARROWS  POINT,  MD., 
WANT  BRICKLAYERS,  FAMIL- 
IAR WITH  EITHER  FIREBRICK 
OR  RED  BRICK  WORK;  STEADY 
WORK.  APPLY  AT  ONCE,  EM- 
PLOYMENT OFFICE. 


Figure  48.     Specimens  of  "Help  Wanted' 
Advertising 


Il8  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

who  are  interested  will  then  apply.  Applicants  should  not 
be  given  cause  to  complain  of  misleading  advertisements ;  what 
the  advertisement  states  about  rates,  etc.,  should  be  borne 
out  in  the  interview. 

Practice  in  this  respect  has  not  always  been  of  the  best. 
Some  companies,  for  example,  have  advertised  their  rates  for 
a  number  of  jobs  by  stating  only  the  maximum,  not  men- 
tioning the  minimum.  For  instance:  "Help  wanted  of  all 
kinds — laborers,  machinists,  etc. ;  90  cents  an  hour."  When 
workmen  left  other  places  for  a  day  to  investigate,  lured  by 
the  90  cents  an  hour,  they  were  informed  that  90  cents  an 
hour  was  the  highest  amount  paid,  but  the  job  open  in  which 
they  might  be  placed,  paid  45  cents,  50  cents,  or  60  cents. 
In  other  instances,  advertisements  have  misled  by  such  state- 
ments as  ''$4.50  a  day  for  laborers,"  without  any  mention  of 
the  hours.  Some  men  prefer  to  work  ten  hours  for  $4.50 
rather  than  eight  hours  for  $4.00,  but  in  the  majority  of 
cases,  any  delusive  promise  in  regard  to  wages,  serves  only 
to  disappoint  and  disgust  applicants  when  they  learn  the  facts ; 
and  the  plant  is  given  a  bad  name  for  misrepresentation. 

The  ideal  to  be  attained  and  maintained  is  that  of  un- 
varnished truth  at  all  times. 

Effective  Presentation 

"The  text  should  be  concise,  but  it  should  not  be  boiled 
down  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  ungrammatical  or  obscure. 
.  .  .  Most  advertisers  make  the  mistake  of  too  great  brevity 
for  the  sake  of  saving  a  few  cents."  ^ 

Most  classified  advertisements  are  listed  alphabetically. 
The  first  word  of  the  advertisement  is  the  key-word,  the  word 
which  determines  the  place  in  which  the  advertisement  will 
be  listed.     This  key-word,  consequently,   must  be  carefully 

1  "Advertising:    Its    Principles    and    Practice,"    Tipper    et    al.,    page    255.      Ronald 
Press   Company,   New   York,    1919. 


SECURING   THE   WORKER  119 

selected,  so  that  the  advertisement  may  appear  in  the  part  of 
the  Hst  most  likely  to  be  perused  by  the  man  for  whom  the 
advertisement  is  intended.  The  advertisements  shown  in 
Figure  48,  for  instance,  bring  out  clearly  the  contrast  between 
a  well-chosen  and  a  badly  chosen  key-word. 

It  is  better  to  begin  this  key-word  with  a  letter  near  the 
beginning  of  the  alphabet,  if  this  can  conveniently  be  done. 
Thus  the  advertisement  will  be  given  a  place  near  the  top  of 
the  column. 

Specific  and  Brief  Terms 

The  use  of  specific,  rather  than  general  terms  will 
strengthen  the  "pulling  power"  of  the  advertisement.  An 
advertisement,  for  example,  which  reads:  ''Man  experienced 
in  the  manufacture  of  fancy  paper  boxes,  thoroughly  capable 
of  taking  charge  and  handling  plant,"  will  fail  of  its  object 
twice  as  often  as  one  which  reads,  ''Paper-box  manufacturer 
wanted,  thoroughly  capable  of  taking  charge  of  and  handling 
plant."  This  rule  holds  good  not  only  with  the  initial  words 
of  the  advertisement,  but  with  every  word  or  phrase  through- 
out. 

Ten  words  forcefully  written  and  effectively  arranged  will 
produce  far  better  results  than  twice  that  number  loosely  put 
together  and  cramped  as  to  space.  As  "brevity  is  the  soul 
of  wit,"  so  is  it  the  soul  of  advertising  copy. 

In  advertising  for  workmen  it  is  important  that  the  process 
of  application  be  made  clear  and  easy.  Even  high-grade  labor, 
such  as  the  skilled  mechanic,  is  not  likely  to  react  favorably 
to  a  "blind"  advertisement  which  necessitates  the  writing  of 
a  letter.  Such  a  man  will  respond  to  the  advertisement  which 
gives  him  a  definite  time  and  address  at  which  to  apply.  If 
he  is  looking  for  a  job  at  all,  he  is  likely  to  want  it  without 
delay;  and,  other  things  being  equal,  he  will  apply  for  the 
job  which  gives  him   the  most   definite   directions   and  the 


I20  GETTING   EMPLOYEES      ^ 

prospect  of  most  immediate  employment.^  All  advertising 
for  workmen  should  be  done  under  the  company  name ;  "blind 
advertisements"  should  be  employed  only  in  exceptional 
cases. 

Timeliness 

Certain  times  of  the  year  and  certain  times  of  the  week 
are  advantageous  for  certain  kinds  of  advertising. 

As  to  time  of  year,  nothing  need  here  be  said,  since  the 
individual  employment  manager  is  sure  to  be  familiar  with 
the  conditions  of  his  own  industry. 

As  to  the  time  of  the  week,  Sunday  is,  undoubtedly,  the 
best  day  for  classified  advertising.  The  workman  has  then 
more  time  to  read  the  papers,  and  consequently  peruses  them 
with  more  care.  In  addition,  if  he  is  out  of  work,  it  is 
probable  that  he  finished  on  Saturday,  the  usual  pay-day  in 
most  plants.  These  and  other  circumstances  operate  to  make 
Sunday  the  best  day  for  advertising.  In  general,  experience 
proves  that  for  advertising  purposes,  the  first  and  last  parts 
of  the  week  are  superior  to  the  middle. 

Circulars 

Another  effective  method  of  advertising  is  by  the  use  of 
circulars  and  cards.  These  should  contain  information  regard- 
ing the  advantages  of  working  at  the  plant,  the  nature  of  the 
work,  hours,  overtime,  bonuses,  social,  educational,  and  wel- 
fare projects  of  the  company,  and  last  but  not  least,  explicit 
directions  for  getting  to  the  plant. 

The  fundamentals  of  advertising  first  discussed  apply  to 
the  preparation  of  a  circular  as  well  as  to  the  preparation  of 
classified  copy;  clearness,  forcefulness,  and  timeliness  must 
characterize  all  circular  work. 


2  For   further   discussion   of  this  point  in  connection   with   office   help,   see    Chapter 
XXIII. 


SECURING    THE   WORKER  121 

In  every  case,  circulars  or  cards  for  securing  help  should 
be  printed  in  the  language  of  the  persons  whom  it  is  desired 
to  reach.  Frequently  a  circular  that  is  couched  in  a  particular 
language  is  read  by  many  persons  of  kindred  races.  A  circular 
printed  in  Polish,  for  example,  is  read  by  nearly  all  Slavonic 
nationalities — Russians,  Lithuanians,  Letts,  Esthonians,  and 
even  Bohemians. 

One  evidence  of  the  value  of  circulars  or  cards  is  the 
fact  that  many  who  apply  at  the  employment  offices  for  jobs 
have  advertisements  in  their  hands. 

The  best  method  of  distributing  the  circulars  or  cards  is 
through  the  most  dependable  workmen  of  the  various  depart- 
ments, and  through  representatives  of  the  employment  depart- 
ment. 

In  localities  where  there  is  a  large  foreign  population, 
comer  groceries — the  meeting  places  for  workmen's  wives — 
are  good  distribution  points.  There  the  women  gossip  and 
exchange  experiences,  and  gather  many  thoughts  during  the 
day  which  they  discuss  with  their  husbands  in  the  evening. 
Wives  exercise  a  strong  influence  over  their  husbands  and  take 
pride  in  being  able  to  point  out  to  them  the  advantages  of 
working  at  a  certain  plant.  The  grocer  himself  will  often 
volunteer  to  distribute  the  literature  to  his  customers. 

Circulars  or  cards  may  also  be  distributed  to  children  in 
the  public  and  parochial  schools.  The  head  of  the  school, 
especially  of  the  parochial  school,  will  frequently  aid  in  the 
distribution  of  such  literature.  This  is  not  unethical,  as  some 
think,  for  it  is  productive  of  beneficial  results  to  the  parents, 
to  whom  the  children  take  the  circulars. 

That  the  influence  thus  exerted  is  strong  Is  illustrated  in 
the  following  incident: 

The  school  board  of  a  certain  city,  as  part  of  the  curriculum 
of  the  elementary  schools,  requested  the  children  to  prepare 
a  history  of  the  larger  manufacturing  plants  of  the  city.    The 


122  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

narrative  was  to  include  a  description  of  their  location,  busi- 
ness policy,  the  commodities  they  produced,  their  manufac- 
turing processes,  and  their  contribution  to  civic  welfare.  The 
information  gained  by  the  children  proved  so  interesting  that 
many  of  the  parents  applied  for  work  at  the  different  plants. 
Circulars  or  cards  may  also  be  distributed  to  groups,  such 
as  fraternal  societies,  labor  organizations,  etc.  The  secretaries, 
with  the  permission  of  the  executive  committees  of  the  or- 
ganizations, will  often  consent  to  give  them  out  to  members. 
This  may  be  arranged  by  the  representatives  of  the  employ- 
ment department. 

Posters 

Posters  may  be  used  In  place  of  circulars  or  in  addition 
to -them.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  K.  of  C,  and  like  agencies,  may 
be  called  upon  to  co-operate  with  the  employment  department 
by  using  these  posters  and  circulars,  or  by  sending  to  the 
employment  department  lists  of  men  who  apply  to  their  asso- 
ciations for  positions. 

Similar  arrangements  can  be  made  with  technical  schools, 
from  which  the  higher  types  and  better  classes  of  workmen 
may  be  expected. 

2.     Solicitation — Inside  Assistance 

Solicitation  may  be  defined  as  any  reasonable  measure 
used  in  going  out  to  hunt  for  workers.  The  most  effective 
method  of  soliciting  new  employees  is  to  have  men  inside 
the  plant  recommend  responsible  persons  from  among  their 
acquaintances  and  friends  on  the  outside.  The  practice  is  a 
most  desirable  one ;  men  obtained  by  this  means,  when  properly 
placed,  prove  usually  to  be  the  most  contented  workers. 

A  practical  instance  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  recom- 
mendation method  occurred  a  short  time  ago,  when  a  certain 
foreman  in  a  large  manufacturing  plant  tested  it  during  a 


SECURING   THE  WORKER  I23 

critical  period  of  labor  shortage.  He  first  weeded  out  the 
undesirables  and  then  urged  the  best  of  his  remaining  workers 
to  recommend  their  friends  for  jobs.  His  policy  was  based 
on  the  belief  that  "good  men  have  good  friends."  His 
philosophy  was  proved  sound  by  the  fact  that  during  the  next 
six  months  his  turnover  was  the  lowest  of  any  of  the  thirty 
departments  in  that  organization. 

Advantages  other  than  the  mere  obtaining  of  new  help 
accrue  to  the  plant  from  the  policy  described  above;  for  the 
employee  who  describes  to  a  friend  the  advantages  of  working 
in  the  plant  becomes  himself  impressed  with  such  beneficial 
conditions.  Later,  when  the  friend  is  hired,  the  older  em- 
ployee puts  forth  a  personal  effort  to  introduce  him  to  the 
members  of  his  department,  and  endeavors  in  other  ways  to 
make  him  feel  at  home  during  the  first  few  days  of  employ- 
ment. Again,  when  necessary,  he  shows  the  newcomer  Tiow 
to  do  the  work  properly  and  with  facility.  In  other  words, 
he  feels  obligated  to  assist  his  friend  in  every  possible  way, 
and  the  friend  in  turn  feels  obligated  to  make  good. 

In  recommending  an  applicant  for  a  position,  the  employee 
should  discuss  the  matter  with  the  employment  manager,  and 
if  the  latter  thinks  it  advisable  to  have  the  applicant  inter- 
viewed, the  employee  should  be  given  a  recommendation  blank 
(Figure  21,  page  70).  This  slip,  when  filled  out  and  pre- 
sented in  person  or  mailed  to  an  applicant  serves  as  an  intro- 
duction to  the  employment  manager.  The  employment  man- 
ager may  furnish  a  number  of  these  slips  to  the  foremen 
to  give  out  to  their  men. 

To  stimulate  special  interest  in  helping  to  recruit  men,  a 
bonus  may  be  offered,  of  $1,  say,  for  each  workman  recom- 
mended, accepted,  and  remaining  three  months;  and  $5  for 
three  men  out  of  five  who  remain  for  a  similar  period. 
Placards  also  may  be  posted  in  the  plant  giving  honorable 
mention,  instead  of  the  bonus,  to  those  who  introduced  em- 


124  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

ployees  who  stayed  at  least  ninety  days.  These  suggestions 
have  been  applied  in  plants  where  they  have  been  productive 
of  good  results. 

Boarding-House  and  Personal  Canvasses 

The  boarding-house,  though  perhaps  an  unusual  place  for 
solicitation  is  a  productive  one.  A  survey  should  be  made 
of  the  boarding-houses  in  the  vicinity  of  the  plant  to  ascertain 
the  number  of  men  living  in  them  who  desire  employment. 
Arrangements  can  usually  be  made  with  the  proprietors  of  the 
houses  to  inform  their  boarders  that  there  are  openings  for 
employment,  and  house-to-house  canvasses  may  also  be  made 
in  neighborhoods  where  workmen  of  the  type  desired  live. 

Previously  Employed  Employees 

In  the  files  may  be  found  names  of  persons  previously 
employed,  who  have  left  the  plant  for  various  reasons.  The 
files  will  include  names  of  those  who  have  been  laid  off,  those 
who  have  been  discharged  for  minor  causes,  those  who  have 
left  of  their  own  accord,  etc.  Such  men  may  be  written  to 
on  the  form  shown  in  Figure  22  (see  page  70).  A  repre- 
sentative of  the  employment  office  might  even 'call  on  therri 
personally  to  invite  them  to  return  to  work.  It  is  best  to 
select  as  the  plant  representative,  one  of  a  nationality  similar 
to  that  of  the  person  to  be  approached,  or,  at  least,  one  who 
speaks  the  same  language. 

Among  those  of  the  previously  employed  to  be  followed 
up  are  workmen  in  certain  cities  who  leave  their  regular  work 
for  a  period  of  four  to  twelve  weeks  to  combine  a  summer 
vacation  with  the  earnings  obtained  by  fruit-picking  or  other 
seasonal  occupations.  Their  names  turn  up  automatically  in 
a  tickler  file  that  is  kept  in  the  employment  department.  That 
this  is  a  good  source  of  obtaining  help  is  proved  by  the 
experience  of  a  certain  foreman.     For  fifteen  years  he  fol- 


SECURING   THE   WORKER  12$ 

lowed  up  valuable  employees  who  had  left  to  pick  fruit,  and 
was  able  to  reclaim  them  every  year  when  the  season  ended. 
Through  them  he  was  able  to  obtain  a  number  of  new  em- 
ployees. 

3.    Scouting 

Scouting  consists  in  sending  out  a  man  known  as  a  "labor 
scout"  to  procure  workmen  by  any  legitimate  means  within 
his  power.  The  labor  scout  interviews  men  in  cities  distant 
from  the  plant,  also  in  the  city  where  the  plant  is  located, 
seeks  new  sources  of  labor  supply,  hires  men,  and  arranges 
for  their  transportation  to  the  plant. 

New  Nationalities 

One  of  the  best  sources  of  labor  supply  is  often  found 
among  nationalities  not  already  represented  in  the  plant.  It 
often  pays  to  break  new  ground  by  searching  among  these 
nationalities  for  men  who  may  be  particularly  adapted  to  the 
work  of  the  plant.  When  a  few  have  proved  themselves 
satisfactory,  they  can  easily  be  influenced  to  encourage  others 
of  the  same  nationality  to  apply  for  jobs.  An  energetic  em- 
ployment manager  recently  filled  a  department  with  Portu- 
guese, who  were  particularly  fitted  for  the  work  and  who 
performed  their  duties  with  greater  skill  and  efficiency  than 
any  others  who  had  been  doing  the  work  before  them. 

Rural  Districts 

Rural  districts  frequently  offer  a  fertile  field  for  the  work 
of  the  labor  scout.  A  canvass  may  be  made  of  those  sections 
where  much  of  the  smaller  farmwork  decreases  in  the  late 
fall  and  winter.  Arrangements  may  be  made  for  likely  men 
to  commence  work  at  the  plant  either  immediately,  or  later 
on.     People  of  the  types  usually  procured  from  such  districts 


126  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

make  the  best  workers  on  strenuous  jobs,  because  of  their 
capacity  for  hard  work  and  because  of  their  simple  habits  of 
Hving  outside  of  working  hours.  Here  may  be  applied  the 
principle  of  following  up  seasonal  workers. 

A  Heroic  Expedient 

In  one  instance,  in  a  large  eastern  city,  it  was  deemed 
necessary  to  carry  scouting  to  the  point  of  sending  out  a  truck 
to  solicit  individuals  as  they  passed  a  certain  corner  and  carry 
them  to  the  plant.  But  90  per  cent  of  the  men  obtained  in 
that  manner  could  not  be  depended  upon  to  remain  more  than 
a  day. 

4.     Employment  Agencies — Private 

Some  private  employment  agencies  are  of  the  mushroom 
variety;  their  chief  business  is  to  charge  a  fee.  Such  agencies 
are  not  the  best  sources  of  supply.  From  a  practical  stand- 
point, the  chief  objection  is  that  sometimes  the  private  job 
caterer  has  made  no  study  of  requirements  and,  from  the 
nature  of  things,  cares  little  for  such  details  as  concern  the 
workers'  welfare.  His  particular  business  is  to  furnish  men, 
regardless  of  their  mental  and  physical  requirements,  and,  hav- 
ing pocketed  the  fee,  to  wash  his  hands  of  further  respon- 
sibility. 

Employment  managers  who  are  favorably  inclined  towards 
such  establishments  may  lay  themselves  open  to  the  charge  of 
being  in  league  with  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the  applicants 
furnished  by  these  agencies  feel  that  they  have  purchased  their 
jobs ;  and,  as  a  general  rule,  the  whole  arrangement  is  unsatis- 
factory. 

But  there  are  a  number  of  reputable  employment  agencies, 
which  are  rendering  real  service  to  both  employer  and  em- 
ployee. Such  agencies  study  the  needs  of  both  parties  in  a 
scientific  manner,  save  the  employer  the  trouble  of  interview- 


SECURING   THE  WORKER  127 

ing  the  mass  of  applicants  which  would  come  in  answer  to 
an  advertisement,  and  in  every  way  save  the  employer  time 
and  money.  The  modern  employment  agency,  to  exist 
permanently  at  all,  must  render  honest  and  efficient  service; 
and  the  majority  are  striving  toward  that  goal  to  the  best  of 
their  ability. 

While  there  have  been  in  the  past  many  poorly  and  selfishly 
managed  employment  agencies,  the  employers  have  not  always 
played  fair  with  the  agencies.  The  latter  have,  on  numerous 
occasions,  been  guilty  of  obtaining  names,  service,  and  other 
assistance  from  the  agency,  and  then  been  instrumental  in 
hindering  the  collection  of  the  agency's  fee. 

Municipal  and  Co-operative  Agencies 

Every  encouragement  should  be  given  to  municipal  em- 
ployment agencies  charging  no  fees,  to  schools,  and  to  any 
local  organization  capable  of  supplying  the  right  class  of 
people.  The  managers  and  representatives  of  these  offices  and 
agencies  should  be  given  every  opportunity  to  become  familiar 
with  the  class  and  types  of  men  desired. 

Union  Agencies 

Some  firms,  after  they  have  exhausted  their  own  supply 
by  training  and  promoting  those  within  their  own  ranks,  call 
upon  the  unions  and  give  them  the  first  opportimity  to  furnish 
skilled  workmen. 

Branch  Employment  Offices 

To  secure  large  numbers  of  men  for  temporary  work  where 
a  plant  is  at  a  great  distance  from  the  center  of  the  town,  a 
branch  of  the  employment  department  may  be  maintained  in 
a  central  and  accessible  location  or  in  a  section  where  one 
would  be  most  likely  to  find  those  seeking  work.    Such  branch 


128  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

employment  offices  have  even  been  established  in  other  cities. 
This  was  done  during  the  war,  and  caused  considerable  dis- 
turbance and  criticism.  Men  were  lured  away  from  their 
locality  in  answer  to  more  attractive  offers  elsewhere.  It 
crippled  production  in  many  plants,  not  so  much  because  it 
produced  a  shortage  of  men  in  any  one  locality,  but  because 
so  much  time  was  lost  in  shifting  from  place  to  place.  Em- 
ployment departments  established  in  cities  away  from  their 
plants  have  seldom,  if  ever,  proved  satisfactory. 

An  Employment  Clearing-House 

The  various  plants  and  their  employment  departments  in 
a  city  might  effectively  organize  a  centralized  employment 
clearing-house.  To  this  center  all  surplus  applicants  could 
be  referred,  with  details  of  their  fitness,  experience,  and  quali- 
fications. From  such  an  agency  applicants  could  be  directed 
to  the  particular  plant  immediately  in  need  of  their  services; 
thus  both  the  individual  and  the  firm  would  be  benefited.  A 
similar  procedure  might  be  followed  by  the  employment  depart- 
ment in  the  absence  of  the  centralized  clearing-house,  by  co- 
operating with  the  public  employment  bureaus.  The  private 
employment  department  may  furnish  these  public  agencies  with 
a  list  of  job  requirements,  job  specifications,  and  other  neces- 
sary data  and  receive  from  them  whatever  desirable  applicants 
may  be  on  their  lists. 

Unfit  Methods 

Some  of  the  suggested  methods  are,  of  course,  so  radical 
as  to  be  suitable  only  in  emergencies.  Certain  other  methods 
should  never  be  used.  Foremen,  for  instance,  have  been  known 
to  visit  skilled  workmen  of  other  plants  and  tempt  them  away. 
There  should  be  an  agreement — something  more  than  a  gen- 
tlemen's agreement — between  firms,  to  prevent  clandestine 
bartering.     Employment  departments  might  with  advantage 


SECURING  THE  WORKER  129 

refuse  to  employ  a  workman  while  in  the  employ  of  another 
firm,  unless  it  be  a  justifiable  case  of  a  workman  seeking  to 
better  his  condition.  Even  the  change  should  not  take  effect 
until  six  days  after  his  leaving  his  former  place — an  arrange- 
ment that  has  proved  satisfactory. 

Much  is  heard  about  the  "one-man  influence."  Persons 
sometimes  turn  up  who  claim  to  be  leaders  of  groups  of  men, 
numbering  from  ten  to  twenty-five,  who  have  worked  under 
them  or  with  them  as  fellow-workers  and  whom  they  claim 
to  influence  to  the  extent  of  securing  them  for  any  place 
they  choose,  either  in  return  for  a  consideration  or  for  a  job 
in  a  supervisory  capacity.  Experience  has  shown  that  such 
methods  of  obtaining  men  never  work  well. 

Building  Good  Methods 

A  scientifically  conducted  employment  department  can 
evolve  methods  which  will  minimize  the  necessity  for  any  sort 
of  indirect  efforts  and  even  for  newspaper  advertising.  Upon 
the  building  up  of  such  a  system  depends  to  a  great  extent 
the  success  of  the  employment  department.  Times  of  labor 
shortage,  however,  are  sure  to  come ;  and  when  that  emergency 
arises  the  efficient  employment  manager  will  know  all  the 
possible  methods  of  getting  help  and  will  be  able  to  utilize 
them  effectively. 


CHAPTER  X 

HIRING,  SELECTION,  AND  ASSIGNING 

A  Cordial  Reception 

After  bringing  workmen  to  the  plant,  the  employment 
department  must  interview,  select,  and  assign  them.  This 
work  is  difficult  and  important ;  it  presents  a  number  of  prob- 
lems, all  of  which  must  be  met  and  constructively  solved. 

It  is  essential  that  those  seeking  employment  receive 
courteous  treatment.  Even  when  it  is  necessary  to  refuse  a 
man,  a  favorable  impression  must  be  left  with  him.  The 
qualifications  of  the  interviewer  go  far  toward  accomplishing 
or  failing  to  accomplish  this  end.  (See  Chapter  III,  "The 
Employment  Manager.") 

Any  feeling  of  self -consciousness  will  be  dissipated  by  a 
cordial  reception.  The  applicant  should  be  seated  and  be 
made  to  feel  that  the  interviewer  is  a  friend  who  is  equally 
desirous  of  doing  the  best  for  him  and  for  the  firm.  The 
environment  being  favorable  to  self-expression,  he  will  become 
communicative  without  feeling  that  he  is  being  grilled  or 
pumped  for  information  concerning  his  character  and  require- 
ments. The  employment  department  should  follow  the  dic- 
tum: "Take  more  time  to  hire,  and  you  will  have  fewer  men 
to  fire." 

The  Preliminary  Interview 

An  interviewer  can  weed  out,  by  means  of  a  preliminary 
talk,  those  applicants  for  whom  it  would  be  a  waste  of  time 
to  fill  in  the  application  blank.     Those  who  give  promise  of 

130 


HIRING,    SELECTION,    AND   ASSIGNING  131 

filling  an  existing  labor  need  of  the  plant  are  then  asked  to 
make  out  a  blank. 

A  Definite  Understanding 

An  employee's  application  is  a  permanent  record,  invalu- 
able as  a  reference  to  his  history  and  general  qualifications. 
When  men  leave,  they  frequently  give  as  a  reason  for  so  doing 
that  the  job  was  not  what  it  was  represented  to  be.  This 
in  itself  is  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  a  thorough  interview. 
An  interview  and  a  complete  application  make  for  a  definite 
understanding  on  both  sides,  and  result  in  mutual  benefit  and 
satisfaction.  For  these  reasons,  both  the  interview  and  the 
application  should  always  be  used,  even  though  some  firms 
are  opposed  to  lengthy  application  forms  and  interviews. 

The  Physical  Audit 

The  application  blank  having  been  satisfactorily  filled  out 
to  a  certain  point,  the  next  step  is  to  send  the  applicant  to 
the  medical  department,  if  there  is  one  in  the  plant,  for 
examination.  The  medical  department  sometimes  discovers 
conditions  that  would  immediately  cause  the  rejection  of  the 
applicant  as  a  possible  employee,  thus  saving  the  time  of  a 
further  inquiry.  If  there  is  no  medical  department,  certain 
questions  regarding  health  may  be  asked  by  the  employment 
department.  The  examination  may  include  an  examination 
of  the  eyes  and  hearing,  also  psychological  tests,  etc.,  in  so 
far  as  they  serve  industrial  purposes.  Special  attention  should 
be  given  to  any  disability  or  bodily  disturbances  that  would 
disqualify  the  applicant  for  certain  work  or  suffice  to  eliminate 
him  entirely. 

By  checking  at  an  early  stage  such  items  as  age,  mental 
power,  physical  strength,  experience,  and  wages,  the  inter- 
viewer may,  without  more  ado,  eliminate  the  impossible  ap- 
plicant. 


132  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

The  interviewer,  as  he  opens  proceedings,  has  the  appHca- 
tion  folder  before  him.  He  courteously  states  the  reasons 
for  the  extensive  questioning  that  is  to  follow,  explaining  to 
the  prospective  employee  that  the  more  the  company  knows 
about  him  the  better  able  will  it  be  to  fulfil  its  obligations 
toward  him. 

The  questions  should  be  woven  into  the  conversation  by 
the  interviewer  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  embarrass  the 
applicant  and  still  less  to  make  him  think  that  he  is  being 
put  through  the  "third  degree."  He  should  be  made  to  feel 
that  he  is  being  given  a  chance  to  state  his  qualifications  and 
that  he  is  being  assisted  to  put  them  into  the  most  effective 
form.  In  short,  the  applicant  must  be  convinced  that  the 
elaborate  application  form  and  the  careful  interview  are  in- 
stituted to  help  him  as  much  as  to  assist  the  firm. 

Interview  Questions 

While  the  employment  department  uses  questions  to 
eliminate  the  unfit,  it  uses  the  same  means  to  fit  the  applicant 
to  the  job.  Though  some  of  the  questions  in  their  develop- 
ment depend  entirely  on  the  nature  of  the  plant,  others  are 
vital  and  of  almost  universal  application.  The  answers  to 
these  help  the  interviewer  to  determine:  *Ts  this  man  the  best 
man  for  the  job?  What  can  he  do  best?  Into  what  can  he 
develop  ?'* 

Leading  questions  pin  the  prospective  employee  down  to 
definite  responses,  and  should  be  accumulated  by  the  employ- 
ment department  from  those  asked  by  the  foremen  and  execu- 
tives who  formerly  did  the  hiring. 

Questions,  specially  selected  for  specific  jobs,  should  be 
studied  by  the  employment  staff  and  standardized.  Collecting 
these  interrogations  will  be  one  measure  of  the  spirit  of  co- 
operation, and  the  foreman  should  be  made  to  feel  that  the 
employment  department  is  hiring  by  proxy. 


HIRING,    SELECTION,   AND  ASSIGNING  133 

Developing  Interview  Questions — A  Useful  Method 

A  method  of  formulating  questions  for  use  in  the  inter- 
view was  carried  out  as  follows. 

First,  the  foremen  and  superintendents  were  called  together 
and  a  request  made  of  each  one  to  interview  ah  applicant 
on  behalf  of  the  employment  oifice.  As  it  was  essential  to 
record  the  interview  and  yet  not  embarrass  the  interviewers, 
a  stenographer  was  hidden  behind  a  screen.  In  this  way  a 
vast  number  of  Questions  and  answers  ^yere  obtained.  Later 
they  were  analyzed  and  collated.  After  the  chaff  had  been 
winnowed  from  the  wheat,  some  two  thousand  questions  re- 
duced themselves  to  about  one  hundred. 

Finally,  it  is  well  to  put  the  questions  in  the  negative. 
If  a  leading  question  is  asked  in  the  positive,  such  as,  "Can 
you  run  a  turret  lathe?"  the  applicant  is  prone  to  say  "Yes," 
merely  as  an  insurance  against  losing  the  job.  He  will  be 
actuated  by  the  idea  that  when  once  in  the  plant,  he  will  be 
safe  and  can  surely  make  good  somewhere. 

Questions  of  a  different  class  are: 

"Why  did  you  leave  your  other  job?"  The  answer  in- 
dicates either  that  the  applicant  was  justified  in  so  doing,  or 
is  merely  a  floater. 

"Are  you  prone  to  develop  ^grievances' ?"  The  answers 
will  reveal  whether  or  not  the  applicant  is  temperamental. 

To  learn  if  he  expects  to  work  just  long  enough  to  earn 
sufficient  money  to  leave  or  get  out  of  town,  he  is  asked  if 
he  wants  permanent  or  temporary  work. 

If  an  applicant  wants  work  in  which  there  is  an  opening, 
the  kind  and  extent  of  his  experiences  and  his  reasons  for 
wanting  that  particular  job  should  be  drawn  out.  His  former 
rate  of  pay  should  be  ascertained,  as  from  that  may  be  judged 
what  he  will  expect.  The  interviewer  will,  of  course,  be 
familiar  with  the  rates  of  pay  in  other  firms  and  will  thus 
know  whether  or  not  the  applicant  is  exaggerating. 


134  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

If  he  does  not  specify  a  particular  job,  the  kind  of  work 
he  has  been  doing  should  be  ascertained  and,  if  it  is  not 
similar  to  that  which  is  done  in  the  plant,  whether  he  desires 
work  of  another  kind.  He  may  be  willing  to  accept  any  kind 
of  job  in  the  hope  that  better  jobs  in  the  plant  will  turn  up. 
(See  the  discussion  of  the  application  folder  in  Chapter  V.) 

Hiring  at  Once 

There  is  a  question  as  to  the  advisability  ©f  hiring  a  man 
the  first  day  he  applies  for  a  job.  It  is  true  that  if  there  are 
many  men  applying  for  a  position,  delay  enables  one  to  select 
with  greater  care.  But  that  is  to  handle  a  sword  which  cuts 
both  ways.  The  delay  gives  the  employee  time  to  try  else- 
where or  to  change  his  mind.  On  the  whole,  it  tends  to 
encourage  vacillation,  and  there  is  too  much  of  that  already; 
25  per  cent  of  the  men  interviewed  and  hired  fail  to  appear 
at  the  appointed  time.  Here  it  may  be  remarked,  by  the 
way,  that  the  names  of  the  men  who  act  thus  insincerely  should 
be  recorded  for  future  reference. 

Nationalities 

In  most  firms,  English-speaking  applicants  are  given  the 
preference.  Those  who  do  not  speak  English  should  be  made 
to  agree  to  attend  one  of  the  classes  in  English  in  the  plant 
or  a  public  night  school.  (See  Chapter  XIV,  on  educational 
supervision. ) 

The  question  of  nationalities  requires  special  notice.  Some 
assimilate  well,  others  do  not.  The  employment  manager 
should  learn  to  discriminate  carefully  in  selecting  certain 
nationalities  for  certain  departments  and  in  combining  them 
harmoniously.  In  one  of  the  departments  of  a  large  plant, 
for  instance,  are  Bohemians,  Italians,  and  negroes,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  other  races.  It  was  there  found  that  a  Bohemian, 
or  any  other   foreigner,   would  work  as  a  chaser  with   an 


HIRING,    SELECTION,   AND  ASSIGNING  135 

American  or  Italian  crane-operator,  but  that  an  American 
would  not  work  harmoniously  as  a  chaser  with  a  Bohemian 
in  the  crane.  A  Bohemian  in  the  crane  and  a  Bohemian  on 
the  floor  would  work  together,  but  they  were  apt  to  shirk. 
An  American  on  the  floor  and  an  American  on  the  crane 
would  work  harmoniously,  but  the  best  combination  was  an 
American  or  Italian  in  the  crane  and  any  foreigner  as  a 
chaser.  And  in  that  same  plant  it  was  discovered  that  the 
Bohemians  made  the  best  furnace  men,  and  the  Polish  and 
Lithuanians  the  best  grinders,  while  the  negroes  were  seldom 
a  success  around  machinery. 

Past  Record 

Though  the  past  record  of  an  applicant  is  of  great  im- 
portance, it  must  not  be  used  to  brand  a  man  as  unemployable. 
The  job  may  prove  a  stepping  stone  for  the  recovery  of 
character  and  position,  and  such  renovated  and  rehabilitated 
men  often  make  the  best  workmen.  A  boycott  against  those 
who  have  served  time,  or  who  have  otherwise  expiated  their 
offenses,  is  worse  than  legal  injustice  or  social  injustice — 
it  is  an  industrial  blunder  and  a  psychological  outrage. 

Values  of  References 

The  value  of  references  in  general  has  been  seriously  ques- 
tioned. It  has  been  asserted  that  a  previous  employer,  dis- 
liking to  turn  a  man  down  who  has  proved  inefficient,  may 
sometimes,  out  of  kindness,  explain  his  dismissal  on  other 
grounds  than  the  true  one,  thereby  tactfully  releasing  himself 
of  an  inefficient  man  and  encouraging  someone  else  to  hire 
him.  Such  references  are  more  than  worthless;  they  are  reck- 
less and  harmful.  On  the  other  hand,  an  employment  depart- 
ment may  receive  unfavorable  information  regarding  a  pros- 
pective employee,  and  in  consequence  thereof  reject  the  man. 
Yet  this  man,  if  hired  without  reference,  might  have  proved  a 


136  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

most  desirable  worker,  though  a  failure  in  his  previous  employ- 
ment. This  is  often  proved  by  the  transfer  of  a  man  from 
a  department  in  a  plant  where  he  has  done  poorly,  to  another 
department  where  he  makes  good.  He  might  do  even  better 
by  going  to  another  plant.  Sometimes  jealousy,  spite,  and 
prejudice  enter  into  the  reference  furnished  by  a  previous 
employer  and  thereby  invalidate  it.  Again,  an  employer  who 
does  not  want  to  lose  an  indispensable  workman,  assured  that 
his  reference  will  be  treated  in  strict  confidence,  sends  a  refer- 
ence which  is  unfavorable  and  unfair. 

Nevertheless,  it  has  been  claimed  by  many  prominent  con- 
cerns that  have  systematically  adopted  the  reference  plan  that 
its  helpfulness  justifies  its  use. 

In  some  cases,  however,  too  little,  rather  than  too  much 
dependence,  is  placed  on  the  value  of  references.  Excellent 
co-operation  is  usually  received  from  firms  asked  to  give 
references  and  sufficient  reliable  information  has  been  received 
in  95  per  cent  of  the  cases  investigated  to  justify  the  work 
involved. 

Assistance  of  Foremen 

As  an  act  of  courtesy  the  foreman  is  usually  asked  to  talk 
with  and  pass  upon  an  applicant  before  a  definite  decision  is 
made.  This  practice  may  be  objectionable,  however,  for 
several  reasons: 

1.  The  foreman  may  be  busy  and  the  applicant  may  have 

a  long  wait. 

2.  The  applicant  may  begin  to  feel  that  the  firm  is  not 

concerned  about  him. 

3.  The  foreman  may  be  in  a  hurry  or  anxious  to  return 

to  his  duties  of  supervision  and  may  not  get  the 
facts  as  well  as  the  interviewer. 

It  is  therefore  a  better  plan,  if  any  talk  is  desirable  after 


HIRING,    SELECTION,   AND  ASSIGNING  137 

the  formal  interview,  to  have  the  applicant  taken  to  the  fore- 
man to  whom  he  is  to  be  assigned.  The  foreman  then  reports 
his  impression  of  the  man  to  the  employment  department. 
This  may  be  compared  with  the  foreman's  subsequent  estimate 
of  the  man.  Eventually  the  foreman  should  be  relieved  en- 
tirely of  this  function,  but  it  is  advisable  to  make  the  break 
gradual  so  that  the  transition  may  be  smooth  and  agreeable. 
In  any  case,  the  degree  of  responsibility  reposed  in  the  foremen 
must  be  determined  to  a  large  extent  by  the  specific  conditions 
which  appear  in  the  particular  plant. 

When  a  foreman  states  on  his  requisition  sheet  that  he 
desires  to  see  the  applicant  before  anyone  is  engaged,  because 
of  the  special  nature  of  a  certain  piece  of  work,  the  employ- 
ment manager  should  grant  his  request. 

Hiring  and  Assigning 

The  amount  of  authentic  information  furnished  during  the 
interview  forms  a  basis  for  just  investigation  and  future 
procedure;  it  far  outweighs  valueless  and  misleading  testi- 
mony. 

If  the  applicant  measures  up  to  the  requirements,  the  inter- 
viewer should  explain  carefully  to  him  what  to  expect  in 
his  job.  He  should  be  told  of  the  conditions  that  surround 
it,  of  the  aims  and  ideals  of  organization,  of  the  pay,  of 
insurance,  of  benefit  associations,  of  bonuses,  of  the  card  and 
timekeeping  system,  of  the  hours,  and  of  the  number  of  days' 
notice  he  must  give  before  leaving.  Furthermore,  he  should 
be  told  the  probable  time  it  will  take  to  earn  an  advance, 
maximum  rates,  the  promotion  possibilities,  the  seasonal  in- 
fluence, vacations,  social  advantages,  layoffs,  probability  of 
overtime,  and  last  but  not  least,  welfare  and  educational 
advantages.  The  interview  may  then  be  sealed  by  giving  to 
the  newly  hired  workman  a  book  of  instructions. 

An  excellent  booklet  of  the  sort  recommended,  used  with 


138  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

great  advantage  in  one  of  the  shipyards,  is  reproduced  in 
full  in  Appendix  A.  It  contains  a  welcome  to  the  new  worker, 
a  full  explanation  of  the  firm's  various  facilities — service, 
medical  department,  housing,  etc. — the  systems  of  identification 
used,  the  symbols  for  marking  material  in  the  yard,  and  last — 
to  make  the  book  additionally  useful — a  calendar  of  the  cur- 
rent year. 

Probation 

Many  concerns  are  finding  it  advantageous  to  put  appli- 
cants on  probation,  taking  them  into  the  department  for  a 
try-out  to  prove  whether  or  not  they  are  as  familiar  with 
the  machine  or  work  as  they  claim  to  be.  Frequently  such 
an  applicant  is  put  in  the  training  department,  where  the 
time  it  takes  to  acquire  certain  operations  has  been  mapped 
out  and  standardized.  (See  Chapter  XIV,  educational  super- 
vision.) Should  the  applicant  fail  to  learn  within  the  pre- 
scribed maximum  time,  he  may  be  either  rejected  or  given 
other  work.  One  large  manufacturer  advises  giving  three 
opportunities  before  eliminating  an  employee. 


CHAPTER  XI 

PICKING  THE  RIGHT  MAN  FOR  THE  JOB 

The  Principal  Function  of  the  Employment  Manager 

Selecting  the  right  man  for  the  right  job  is  the  principal 
function  of  the  employment  manager,  and  the  success  with 
which  he  performs  that  function  is  almost  the  measure  of  his 
success  in  general.  In  the  days  preceding  the  era  of  what 
is  known  as  "big  business,"  picking  the  man  was  a  compara- 
tively simple  matter.  When  men  were  required,  their  hiring 
and  selecting  were  left  to  a  few  old  hands  who  knew  every 
phase  of  the  work  thoroughly.  These  men,  through  constant 
association  with  various  types  of  workers,  gradually — subcon- 
sciously if  you  will — formulated  certain  conclusions  or 
''hunches"  regarding  the  aptitudes  of  men  for  specific  jobs. 
To  verify  these  judgments  the  applicant  was  usually  given  a 
try-out,  and  remained  or  went  away  according  as  he  succeeded 
or  failed  at  it. 

But  with  the  advent  of  specialization,  jobs  have  been  divided 
into  distinct  units  of  operation.  The  sharp  differentiation 
among  the  units  of  operation,  added  to  the  recognition  of 
the  high  cost  of  labor  turnover  in  general,  have  made  neces- 
sary more  accurate  methods  of  hiring. 

The  Problem 

The  successful  employment  manager  must  be  able  to  main- 
tain his  percentage  of  turnover  at  a  minimum.  To  accomplish 
this  he  must  select  his  men  for  the  position  for  which  they 
are  best  adapted,  and  in  which  they  will  be  best  contented. 

139 


I40  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

It  will  be  curious  to  note  in  the  following  discussion,  how 
employers  are  working  back  to  the  original  method  of  selecting 
men  as  followed  a  generation  ago — amplified  and  perfected 
by  science,  more  complex  in  various  ways,  but  nevertheless 
based  on  the  same  idea. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  chapter  to  lay  before  the  employ- 
ment manager  a  brief  resume  of  the  various  systems,  past  and 
present,  of  selecting  workers,  pointing  out  the  methods  that 
have  merit,  and  those  that  manifestly  have  none. 

Position  of  the  Employment  Manager 

To  select  the  right  man  for  the  right  job,  competently,  is 
no  easy  task.  The  various  systems  devised  for  determining 
the  fitness  and  qualifications  of  men  are  not  so  scientifically 
accurate  as  their  inventors  and  sponsors  would  have  us  believe. 
There  is  such  a  difference  of  opinion  relative  to  the  best  method 
for  picking  the  right  man  for  the  right  job  that  the  employ- 
ment manager  usually  asks  himself,  "Am  I  to  try  every  em- 
ployment nostrum  that  quacks  or  enthusiasts  place  on  the 
market  as  a  method,  or  am  I  to  disregard  them  all  and  adopt 
the  time-honored  policy  of  the  employer  who  hired  i,ooo  men 
and  fired  800,  in  order  to  get  200  good  workmen  ?" 

Methods  of  Selection 

From  what  has  been  said  it  seems  reasonable  to  expect  the 
reader  to  ask  at  this  stage:  "Is  there  really  any  method  or 
system,  subjective,  objective,  or  both,  by  which  employers  may 
select  the  right  man  for  a  particular  job  with  any  degree  of 
accuracy — say  70,  or  even  51  per  cent? 

Methods  for  reading  character  and  judging  ability  along 
specific  lines  of  endeavor  have  been  sought  for  years ;  and  a 
great  many  have  been  evolved.  The  most  important  of  these 
methods  are: 


PICKING  THE   RIGHT   MAN  FOR  THE  JOB  141 

1.  Graphology 

2.  Character  analysis — observational  method 

3.  Psychological  tests 

4.  Trade  tests 

The  methods  which  depend  for  their  efficacy  on  astrology, 
palmistry,  physiognomy,  phrenology,  and  the  like,  we  need 
not  here  discuss  at  length.  They  have  been  exploited  by  well- 
meaning  enthusiasts  sometimes,  and  sometimes  by  charlatans; 
and  although  they  are  called  scientific  by  their  advocates,  they 
have  been  repudiated  by  serious  investigators  and  thrown  into 
the  category  of  the  pseudosciences.  It  is  generally  accepted 
that  they  are  untrustworthy  and  misleading. 

1.  Graphology 

Briefly,  graphology  is  the  art  (so  called)  of  judging  from 
a  person's  handwriting  his  disposition,  his  characteristics,  and 
his  aptitudes.  At  the  present  time  a  good  many  business 
houses  ask  an  applicant  for  a  sample  of  his  handwriting  before 
they  hire  him;  and  from  this  handwriting,  by  the  system  of 
graphology,  they  attempt  to  determine  whether  he  will  fit  the 
position.  But  graphology  is  not  practical.  No  two  of  its 
exponents  agree  as  to  a  standardized  classification  of  hand- 
writing. Indeed,  such  a  standardization  trannot  be  established ; 
there  is  no  agreement  as  to  what  indications  are  to  be  sought, 
nor  as  to  how  the  indications  are  to  be  interpreted. 

2.  Character  Analysis — Observational  Method 

The  character  analysts  have  popularized  their  method 
under  the  engaging  title,  "Character  analysis  by  the  observa- 
tional method."  They  base  their  claims  on  two  alleged  laws: 
First,  that  human  bodies  vary  in  nine  ways,  viz : 

1.  Color 

2.  Form 


142  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

3.  Size 

4.  Structure 

5.  Texture 

6.  Consistency  , 

7.  Proportion 

8.  Expression 

9.  Condition 

Second,  that  men's  characters  vary  in  accordance  with 
the  way  their  bodies  vary  in  these  nine  particulars. 

The  better  informed,  however,  feel  that  this  method  can- 
not accurately  be  used  as  an  instrument  for  classifying  men 
as  though  they  belonged  to  distinct  types.  They  reason  that 
each  person  is  rather  a  union  of  physical  and  mental  factors — 
the  product  of  his  own  experiences — distinct  and  dissimilar 
from  all  others. 

It  is  patent  to  most  people  who  think  about  these  things, 
that  although  one  may  lay  down  definite  rules  regarding  the 
properties  of  iron  or  lumber,  one  cannot  do  it  with  men. 
Questions  of  heredity,  environment,  education,  experience, 
health,  and  the  multitudinous  variations  of  character  cannot 
be  measured  by  classifying  external  indications. 

It  is  true  that  one  cannot  help  being  influenced  to  a  certain 
extent  by  external  indications.  Whether  conscious  of  it  or 
not,  one  is  impressed — either  much  or  little — by  an  applicant's 
personal  appearance,  his  dress,  cleanliness,  manner  of  talking, 
carriage,  etc.  It  is  equally  true  that  external  appearances 
form  a  reasonable  index  to  the  more  common  attributes  or 
characteristics  of  a  person.  It  is  obvious  that  a  man  with 
the  build  of  a  jockey  is  not  adapted  for  piano-moving  or 
stevedore  work;  or  that  a  heavy-handed,  clumsy  man  is  not 
fitted  to  work  with  fine  and  delicate  instruments.  Such  indica- 
tions as  these  are  self-evident.  But  when  any  system  attempts 
to  prove,  as  do  those  under  discussion,  that  a  round,  square, 
or  triangular  face,  or  the  tilt  of  the  nose,  or  the  shape  of 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR  THE  JOB  143 

the  ear,  is  an  indication  of  a  man's  preference  or  fitness  for 
one  sort  of  work  over  another — that  system  is  faulty. 

Because  of  the  many  discrepancies  in  the  conclusions 
reached  by  those  applying  character  analysis,  the  more  ad- 
vanced students  of  vocational  selection  have  declined  to  con- 
sider "character  analysis"  of  itself  as  worthy  of  adoption, 
and  the  same  may  be  said  of  personnel  executives  in  general. 
Some  authorities  on  personnel  management  have  become  so 
impatient  with  character  analysis  that  their  contempt  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  refusal  even  to  read  or  discuss  the  subject. 

Time  Lost  by  Character  Analysis 

In  spite  of  the  manifest  impracticabilities  of  character 
analysis,  a  good  many  practical  people  are  fascinated  by  it. 
But  even  supposing  (which  we  do  not  grant)  that  it  was 
all  its  sponsors  claim  for  it,  would  industrial  establishments 
be  justified  in  engaging  specialists  to  make  these  analyses? 
Conservatively  estimated,  a  half-hour  or  more  is  required  for 
"reading  the  character"  of  each  person  examined.  And  is 
there  not  the  danger  of  overlooking  the  essentials  in  the  inter- 
view while  trying  to  decipher  the  multifarious  modifying  char- 
acter signs  that  are  to  be  considered  ?  The  author  is  reminded 
of  the  salesman  who,  after  having  completed  a  course  in  char- 
acter analysis  tried  so  carefully  to  remember  and  apply  the 
rules  that  had  been  laid  down  that  he  neglected  to  drive  home 
the  virtues  of  his  commodity.  His  mind  was  too  much  occu- 
pied in  trying  to  read  his  customer. 

3.    Psychological  Tests 

We  come  next  to  psychological  tests.  Psychologists  in 
leading  educational  institutions  from  time  to  time  have  made 
definite  claims  for  the  tests  which  they  have  developed.  They 
have  sought  to  interest  industry  in  their  experiments  and  to 
secure  a  trial   for  their  tests  under  conditions  that  would 


144  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

demonstrate  their  practicability.  Industry  turned  an  attentive 
ear  and  encouraged  the  psychologists  in  their  efforts  to  size 
up  and  pick  men  correctly.  The  results  of  the  trials,  however, 
were  not  conclusive.  Some  of  the  tests  served  well  in  specific 
instances,  but  did  not  prove  applicable  in  all.  hSo  then,  we 
may  say,  the  success  of  classifying  various  types  of  minds 
by  what  are  known  as  psychological  tests  is  still  a  mooted) 
question. 

In  discussing  the  psychological  test  there  are  certain  things 
we  must  not  lose  sight  of.  These  tests  are  not  put  forward 
as  an  infallible  method  for  selecting  the  right  man  for  the 
right  job.  What  their  sponsors  claim  for  them  is  merely 
that  a  series  of  tests  will  bring  out  and  classify  a  man's  intel- 
ligence along  certain  lines — or,  in  other  words,  his  ability  to 
grasp  certain  situations,  to  analyze  them,  to  catch  on,  to 
learn;  that  they  will  reveal,  moreover,  not  so  much  his  intel- 
ligence for  the  sort  of  work  the  employer  is  hiring  him  to  do, 
but  his  general  intelligence.  If  this  can  ever  be  determined 
accurately,  the  work  of  finding  the  right  man  for  the  job  will 
be  greatly  simplified. 

Defects  of  Psychological  Tests 

Unfortunately,  as  we  hinted  above,  these  tests  have  their 
shortcomings  too.  For  instance,  a  test  which  is  becoming 
popular  in  applied  psychology  is  the  "method  of  analogy." 
To  test  analogically  is  to  parallel  the  mental  processes  and 
abstract  qualities  that  are  apparently  needed  for  certain  kinds 
of  work.  For  example,  a  test  is  designed  to  measure  a  man 
for  a  job  for  which  the  job  analysis  shows  concentration  to 
be  a  requisite.  That  this  is  a  very  dangerous  method,  careful 
students  of  applied  psychology  recognize.  The  success  or 
failure  of  a  man  in  making  a  good  showing  will  depend  on 
his  ability  to  concentrate  with  sufficient  intensity  on  the  subject 
in  which  he  is  naturally  interested.     One  man  concentrates 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR  THE  JOB  145 

easily  on  historical  data,  another  on  mechanical  problems, 
another  on  a  page  of  Shakespeare.  The  same  is  true  with 
a  general  test  for  memory.  A  man  vividly  recalls  the  events 
of  ten  years  ago  and  forgets  the  instructions  given  to  him 
twenty  minutes  previously.  Another  test  may  reveal  that  a 
man  is  careful.  He  may  be  careful  with  his  own  automobile 
which  cost  him  $1,500,  and  yet  be  extremely  careless  with 
the  machine  he  is  working  on,  which  cost  $15,000.  A  man 
may  be  accurate  in  figures  and  at  the  same  time  faulty  in 
organizing  his  work^ 

Another  objection  to  psychological  tests  in  general  lies 
in  the  fact  that  the  man  who  makes  a  good  mark  today  will 
respond  weakly  at  another  time,  and  perhaps  fail  to  make  as 
good  a  showing  because  of  a  disturbed  state  of  mind,  owing, 
let  us  say,  to  a  sleepless  night. 

In  the  army,  where  psychological  tests  were  made  in 
greater  numbers  than  ever  before,  all  that  was  claimed  for 
them  was  that  the  psychological  and  intelligence  tests  assist 
in  grading  men  to  the  extent  of  classifying  them  into  three 
groups,  viz: 

1.  Men  of  superior  intelligence 

2.  Men  of  average  intelligence 

3.  Men  of  slow  or  inferior  intelligence 

In  other  words,  it  is  possible  by  means  of  psychological 
and  intelligence  tests  to  grade  mental  ability  and  capacity 
provisionally.  But  when  it  comes  to  finding  out  a  man's 
qualities  of  leadership,  or  resourcefulness  and  courage  in  the 
presence  of  danger,  neither  these  tests  nor  any  other  known 
physical  or  psychological  tests  are  of  much  use. 

The  Rational  Attitude  of  the  Psychologists 

The  encouraging  thing  about  the  work  and  the  experiments 
of  the  psychologists  is  the  true  appraisal  the  psychologists 


146 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


place  on  them.  They  do  not  claim  that  their  tests  are  infallible, 
or  that  they  accomplish  all  they  would  like  them  to  accomplish. 
They  realize  that  the  tests  as  applied  to  industry  are  still  in 
the  experimental  stage  and  that  their  present  value  is  not 
nearly  as  great  as  their  future  value  will  be. 

Representative  Psychological  Tests 

Trhe  following  are  samples  of  outlines  of  sets  of  tests  de- 
signed as  tests  for  the  vocations  named: 


Tests  for  Vocations 


Typists 
Verb-object 
Action-agent 
Color-naming 
Number-checking 
Letter  substitution 


Stenographers 
Naming  opposites 
Form-substitution 
Hard  directions 
Color-naming 
Letter-substitution 
Part-whole 


Business  Correspondents 
Opposites 
Verb-objects 
Agent-action 
Action-agent 
Color-naming 
Mixed  relations 
Hard  directions 


Routing  Clerks 
Cancellation 
Number-checking 
Opposites 
Mixed  relations 
Hard  directions 
Completion  test 


Telephone  Operators 
Color-naming 
Hard  directions 
Completion 
Team  of  three 
Aiming 


Statistical  Clerks 
Naming  opposites 
Part-whole 
Mixed  relations 
Completion  test 
Team  of  four 


PICKING   THE    RIGHT   MAN   FOR   THE   JOB 


147 


Machine-Stitching 
Color-naming 
Aiming   (Accuracy) 
Mixed  relations 
Opposites 

Directions  (Accuracy) 
Logical  memory 

Efficiency  Engineers 
Intelligence  blank 
Imagination  blank 
Completion  test 
Card-sorting 
Construction  test 
Group  judgment 
Physics  test 
Invention  test 


Hand-Sewing 
Color-naming 
Naming  opposites 
Directions  (Accuracy) 
Logical  memory 
Tapping  rate 


Label-Pasting 
Knox  cube 

Card-sorting  (Accuracy) 
Substitution  (Speed) 
Substitution  (Accuracy) 
Directions    (Accuracy) 
Opposites 
Color-naming 

Salesmen 
Intelligence  blank 
Imagination  blank 
Card-sorting 
Group  judgment 
Manager's  interviews 


The  foregoing  are  samples  of  what  are  called  "teams  of 
tests"  for  various  vocations.  Those  who  have  used  them  claim 
that  these  tests  measure  the  ability  of  the  applicants,  and  that 
they  compare  with  actual  ability  by  high  percentages. 

To  explain  how  these  tests  are  applied,  let  us  take  the 
first  team  of  tests,  "Typists."  It  is  claimed  that  this  set  of 
tests  indicates  with  great  accuracy  one's  ability  as  a  typist. 
You  will  notice  that  there  are  five  tests  to  the  team: 

1.  Verb-object 

2.  Action-agent 

3.  Color-naming 

4.  Number-checking 

5.  Letter  substitutes 


148  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

Test  No.  I,  is  applied  in  this  manner.  A  series  of  verbs 
is  presented  to  the  person  being  examined,  who  must  quickly 
give  an  object  to  each  verb.  For  instance:  to  a  verb  like 
cut,  he  would  naturally  answer  cut  finger;  to  burn,  he  would 
reply  burn  wood,  and  to  strike,  he  would  return  strike  man, 
or  ball,  or  anything  else  that  would  appear  to  him  natural  and 
logical. 

Test  No.  2,  "action-agent,"  is  similar  to  the  one  already 
mentioned.  It  is  designed  to  determine  a  man's  ability  to 
associate  answerable  ideas  and  images.  He  is  given  a  number 
of  words,  such  as  swim,  fly,  crawl.  With  these  he  must  link 
such  words  as  fish,  bird,  snake,  or  anything  else  naturally 
and  logically  associated  with  them. 

Test  No.  3,  **color-naming,"  is  a  perception  test.  The 
person  examined  is  given  a  sheet  on  which  are  one  hundred 
colors — apparently.  Actually,  only  five  colors  are  repeated  in 
an  irregular  way.    These  must  be  named  as  quickly  as  possible. 

In  test  No.  4,  "number-checking,"  the  subject  is  given  a 
sheet  of  paper  bearing  a  group  of  numbers,  and  is  asked  to 
draw  a  line  through  every  group  which  contains  the  numerals 
6  and  9. 

In  test  No.  5,  "letter-substitution,"  the  subject  is  given  a 
sheet  bearing  a  number  of  letters.  There  is  a  key  at  the  top 
of  the  sheet,  and  whenever  C  appears,  the  applicant  must  write 
X;  and  for  every  L  he  must  write  /.  The  applicant  must  look 
at  the  key  continually  to  see  what  letter  he  should  put 
under  it. 

The  Trabue  Completion  Scale 

Trabue*s  completion  scale  test  (T.  L.  Kelly's  revision) 
is  used  to  measure  general  intelligence.  Each  sentence  (see 
Figure  49)  involves  a  certain  difficulty.  Each  five  sentences 
are  evaluated  because  of  their  equal  difficulty.  The  object 
is  to  supply  any  word  that  will  make  an  intelligent  and  gram- 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR  THE   JOB  149 

matical    sentence    without    altering    the    punctuation,    thus 
determining  the  topmost  intellectual  ability. 

The  average  ten-year  old  can  do  about  the  first  fifteen 
sentences ;  the  fourteen-year  old  about  the  first  twenty ;  adults 
of  superior  ability  can  fill  in  the  whole,  or  best  part  of  the 
test.  The  usual  time  allotted  for  the  complete  test  is  from 
ten  to  fifty  minutes  for  adults,  this  allowance  showing  that 
the  test  is  one  of  quality  rather  than  of  speed.  It  is  obvious 
that  if  one  man  does  more  than  another  in  a  given  time, 
superior  ability  is  indicated. 

Judgment  Test 

The  judgment  test  is  used  to  determine  the  extent  to  which 
a  subject's  judgment  is  influenced  by  suggestion. 

To  perform  this  experiment,  bits  of  pasteboard  (see  Figure 
50)  may  be  cut  into  pairs  of  squares,  circles,  stars,  or  octagons 
— each  piece  to  have  marked  on  it  numbers  of  two  digits.  The 
subject  is  then  told  to  pick  out  the  forms  that  appear  to  him 
largest  in  size. 

The  susceptible  person  who  is  not  trained  to  discriminate 
closely  will  pick  out  of  each  pair  the  card  that  has  the  larger 
number  upon  it.  This  test  can  be  used  to  discover  the  weak- 
ness of  certain  employees,  such  as  buyers,  secretaries,  and 
others,  who  are  entrusted  with  secrets  and  commissions  requir- 
ing discretion,  and  who  must  be  proof  against  the  deceptions 
practiced  by  salesmen,  promoters,  and  others  with  seductive 
propositions. 

Attention  and  Initiative  Tests 

The  attention  and  initiative  test  deals  with  an  applicant's 
powers  of  attention  and  initiative.  It  may  be  applied,  to 
discover  the  capacity  of  any  person  to  pay  attention  to  un- 
familiar questions  or  subjects  which  might  at  some  future 
time  have  great  importance. 


I50  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


COMPLETION  EXERCISE 
Name Age Grade , 


Write  words  in  the  empty  spaces  to  make  the  whole  sound  sensible 
and  right 

o.  We  r.ke  good  boys girls 

no     I.  I  like  to  go  to 

84     2.  The  sky blue 

gi    3.  Ice  is  cold,  but  fire  is 

81    4.  The  stars  and  the will  shine  tonight 

88    5.  The .kplays her  dolls  all  day. 

84    6.  Good  boys ^ kind their  sisters 

7.  During  the weather  the  boys  will  play  in  the  shade 

105  8.  Boys  must be  rude  to mothers 

g8    9.  The  boy  will his  hand  if plays  with  fire 

81  10.  Time often  more  valuable money 

88  II.  Hard makes tired 

84  12.  The rises the  morning  and at 

night 
g8  13.  Hot  weather  comes  in  the and weather 

the  winter 

p2    14.  The  child the  river was  drowned 

82  15.  She .if  she  will 

8g    16.  It  is  good  to  hear voice friend 

83  17.  The  boy  who hard do  well 

106  18.  Boys  who  play mud  get  their  hands 

II j     19 the  weather  is one  should  wear  heavier 

than  when  it  is 

g2     20.  It  is  a task  to  be  kind  to  every  beggar 

for  money 

8g     21.  The  happiest  and contented  man  is  the  one 

lives  a  busy  and  useful 

100    22.  In to  maintain health,  one  should  have 

nourishing 


Figure  49.     Trabue's 
The  completion  exercise  is  designed  to  bring  out  not  so  much 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR  THE   JOB  151 


102  23 .  Many  people  M'fK*^.  ^ .  their  health  because .  f^'tf? . .  do  not 

,./KtV^^. .  the . , "."{ •: . ....  of  hygiene 
10/    24.  A  home  is.  .4  ..'. ...  .merely  a  place  ^'^rr^TTf;  one. . 
Hve  comfortably  -  y 

QS    25.  It  is  very to  become .^-fV'ff?^ acquainted 

persons  who timi<y  C/ 

loi    26.  One's do always  express  his  thoughts 

111  27    The. is     always     shining,.  ....:...  .storm-clouds 

sometimes. . . <-. .  /. .  .it. us 

108    28.  Children  should that  after  all  nobody  is * . . 

to  care  much  more their  success  than..'. . . 

.... . .  .\  .  .parents  ^  . 

108    29 are  times  in  the.  .t^T^,  .of  almost. .'.' 

of  us  when  we. . .  r for  a  loni;  life 

log    30.  One's  real  .«>.'._.....  appfears . '. . '. . '.  .•  / . .  often  in  his . . '. 

than  in  his  speech 
q6      31.  Extremely  old. sometimes.  ^.*T1^fr. almost  as 

<^. care  as / 

loi    32.  To. .,  I .'....  .to  wait,  after  having,  ft^ .^ v. . .  to  go , 

.yery  annoying 

103  33'  The.J.ir.vOI .  .seems and  dreary \ a 

discouraged., 

86    34.  The  knowledge  of use  fire  is of 

' important  things  known  by but 

unknown animals 

112  3S want  are  often  caused  by 

P5    36.  In  order clearly  at it  is 

-.  .to artificial 

q6    37.  Oije's-^J. .". .  .^. .  .in  life.  tiJ-i ^v:  .'^iupon  so. .  >VTV.'. J. factors 

.  i ...  .'.■ At  is  not.  iJ^i 'J: i . .  .io  state  any  sing^^. .  .w.  '.': . 

for.  ..*.'.  .^'. .  .failure 

go    38 a  rtdp  one association. friends 

10 1    39.  One  can . '!Vt'.<*: . .  .do  his.,.*^".*'.''.'-.  .^,at  one.  L^rT'l . . .  .while 

of  another  / 

gy    40.  The  future .......  1 ..  of  the  stars  and  the  facts  pf .  vt  ?^^.T^^ 

history  are .now  once  for  all.  Xo^vs I  like 

them not 


Completion  Scale 

the  speed  with  which  one  thinks,  as  the  quality. 


152 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


38 


69 


/ 


Figure  50.    Judgment  Test 

The  judgment  test  is  designed  to  find  out  to  what  extent  a  subject's  mind  is  influenced  by  suggestion 
The  designs  of  each  pair  are  identical  in  size:    the  susceptible  person  selects  the  one  with 

the  greater  number. 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR   THE   JOB  153 

Pieces  of  pasteboard  may  oe  cut  into  squares,  circles, 
triangles,  half  moons,  stars,  and  other  forms.  (See  Figure 
51.)  Upon  each  may  be  written  such  words  as  hat,  coat, 
ball,  or  bat.  The  cards  are  then  placed  under  a  cloth  cover 
and  the  subject  to  be  examined  is  told  to  concentrate  his 
attention  on  the  shapes  alone  (paying  no  attention  to  the 
words)  ;  the  cloth  is  lifted  for  five  seconds  and  then  replaced. 
The  subject  is  then  told  to  draw  with  a  pencil  the  different 
shapes  and  such  words  as  he  may  chance  to  remember.  The 
experiment  may  then  be  repeated  with  the  injunction  to  pay 
no  attention  to  the  shapes  but  to  remember  as  many  words 
^s  possible  and  write  them  down  on  such  forms  as  he  may 
happen  to  recall  (form  or  word  memory). 

The  real  object  of  this  experiment  is  to  determine  whether 
the  subject  will  see  more  than  he  is  told  or  whether  he  is  a 
mere  automatom.  The  result  will  tell  whether  his  attention 
is  of  the  narrow  or  broad  type.  If  narrow,  he  will  see,  in 
the  first  case,  only  the  forms  and  no  words,  and  in  the  second, 
he  will  remember  the  words  but  be  unable  to  recall  the  forms. 
He  will  say  that  you  did  not  tell  him  to  remember  the  words. 

This  test  measures  a  subject's  ability  to  pay  attention  to 
more  than  one  thing  at  a  time.  Other  things  being  equal, 
the  narrow  type  of  attention  belongs  to  a  man  fitted  for  work 
as  bookkeeper  or  mechanic,  while  the  broad  type  of  attention 
fits  one  for  work  as  a  foreman  or  superintendent,  or,  lacking 
executive  ability,  for  work  requiring  the  supervision  of  me- 
chanical operations  widely  separated  in  space.  The  ordinary 
man  sees  but  one  thing  at  a  time,  while  the  exceptional  man 
sees  many  things  at  every  glance  and  is  prepared  to  remember 
and  act  'ipon  them  in  an  emergency. 

4.    Trade  Tests 

We  come  finally  to  the  trade  test,  the  latest  and  the  most 
generally  accepted  of  all  the  employment  methods.    It  is  more 


154 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


E°v 


Figure  51.     Attention  and  Initiative  Test 

When  shown  these  cards  for  a  few  seconds,  a  person  with  a  narrow  type  of  attention  will 

recall  either  the  shapes  of  the  cards,  or  the  words.       A  person  with  the  broad  type 

will  recall  both  forms  and  words. 


PICKING  THE   RIGHT  MAN  FOR  THE  JOB  155 

Utilitarian  than  any  of  the  others,  because  they  were  more 
or  less  abstract — the  trade  test  is  concrete. 

Trade  tests  are  tried  and  proved  expedients.  As  was  said 
at  the  beginning  of  the  chapter,  in  the  days  preceding  **big 
business"  when  the  workers  to  be  hired  were  comparatively 
few  and  the  jobs  to  be  filled  were  not  nearly  so  numerous, 
an  applicant  was  usually  given  a  tryout  on  the  work  he 
applied  for,  and  was  retained  or  rejected  according  as  he 
succeeded  or  failed  at  it.  So  we  learn  that  for  years  industry 
has  in  a  tentative  way  been  using  various  means  of  bringing 
out  the  amount  and  character  of  trade  knowledge  possessed 
by  applicants. 

However,  the  tests  as  planned  were,  and  are,  not  all 
that  could  be  desired.  For  instance,  in  testing  a  bookkeeper 
he  is  given  data  and  told  to  make  out  a  trial  balance.  The 
typist  is  given  a  letter  and  is  told  to  copy  it;  if  she  does 
the  sample  well  that  determines  her  ability.  A  supposed  sales- 
man is  asked  to  come  in  and  give  a  sales  talk.  But  the  defect 
of  these  methods  lies  in  the  fact  that  no.  work  is  wholly  like 
the  sample  which  is  chosen  and  submitted  as  a  test.  It  re- 
mained for  the  Committee  on  Qassification  of  Personnel  of 
the  United  States  Army  to  formulate  for  the  first  time  definite 
trade  tests. 

The  army  tests  consist  of  standardized  questions,  picture 
tests,  and  tests  of  actual  performance.  They  are  uniform  in 
method  and  quick  and  easy  of  application.  At  the  present 
the  tendency  of  industry  is  to  accept  the  general  principles 
worked  out  in  the  army  as  readily  applicable  to  its  own 
problems. 

Figure  52  shows  one  of  the  classic  specimens  of  trade 
tests  used  in  the  army.  Figure  53  shows  an  expert  machinist's 
test,  developed  by  William  F.  Kemble.  This  is,  as  yet,  only 
on  a  trial  basis  and  its  usefulness  remains  to  be  proved. 
Theoretically,  it  should  classify  the  men  fit  for  superintendents 


156 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Test  For  Blacksmiths 


Here  is  the  Material 
to  be  used 


%e  tools  supplied 
are 

Anvil 

Forge 

Hammer 

Tongs 

Rule 

Punch 


Here  dve  ike 
Instructions 


Here  are  the  Results 
Novice 


Api'r^ntice 


1 


Journeyman' ' 


Expert 


il 


^ 


Figure  52.    Chart  of  Blacksmith's  Performance  Test — ^United  States  Army 

In  order  to  weld  the  two  pieces  of  iron  and  make  this  hook,  the  subject  must  knew 
the  essential  operations  of  thp  trade. 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR  THE  JOB  157 

or  foremen,  or  for  experimental  work  and  efficiency  and 
planning  department  work.  Part  of  it  should  also  be  useful 
in  finding  the  relative  ability  of  the  lower  grade  men,  although 
great  care  shoud  be  used  in  not  demanding  too  much  of  them. 
It  should  not  even  be  submitted  to  men  who  cannot  read  draw- 
ings. The  examiner  should  glance  over  the  sheets,  while  the 
subject  is  marking  them,  and  orally  explain  where  the  subject 
lacks  comprehension. 

Summary  of  Attitude  of  Employment  Manager  On  These 
Tests 

An  employment  man  cannot  afford  to  make  a  hobby  of 
any  one  of  these  many  methods.  He  should  be  familiar  with 
them  all  and  make  himself  as  proficient  in  their  use  as  he  can. 
But  it  is  important  that  the  information  given  in  the  inter- 
view— if  a  clear  and  intelligent  understanding  of  the  applicant's 
qualification  is  to  be  had — together  with  all  the  facts  con- 
cerning him  that  can  be  gleaned  through  investigation  of  his 
entire  background,  be  taken  into  consideration.  Education, 
training,  previous  environment,  likes  and  dislikes,  ability  to 
make  and  hold  friends,  home  life  and  hereditary  influences, 
exercise  such  an  influence  on  a  person's  life  that  no  analysis 
or  judgment  can  possibly  tell  a  true  story  unless  rounded  and 
completed  by  these  essential  elements.  The  employment  man- 
ager should  supplement  his  work  with  observations,  queries, 
and  tests  more  than  ever;  but  he  should  not  place  too  much 
faith  in  any  of  them. 

Regardless  of  systems  and  tests,  it  is  probable  that  the 
seasoned  interviewer  of  today,  like  the  small  boss  or  the  fore- 
man of  the  past,  learns  to  choose  men  effectively  chiefly  by 
long  experience.  His  experience  gives  him  a  sort  of  "second 
sight"  and  makes  his  "hunches"  more  nearly  correct  than  was 
possible  when  he  first  began  selecting.  Selecting  the  right 
man  for  the  right  job  must  always  remain  to  some  extent 


158  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


EXPERT  MACHINIST'S  TEST 

The  following  questions  are  asked  in  order  to  find  fitness  for 
the  very  highest  grade  work,  and  also  to  find  whether  you  could 
handle  a  foreman's  job.  You  are  not  expected  to  answer  anything 
you  do  not  understand.  All  that  is  asked  is  for  you  to  do  the 
best  you  can. 

I.  Look  over  the  drawings  which  are  marked  with  dimensions. 
Then  look  over  the  shaded  pictures  which  are  supposed  to  repre- 
sent different  views  of  the  same  piece  when  finished.  Do  not 
be  afraid  to  mark  up  these  drawings  and  pictures.  Mark  with  a 
circle  any  portions  of  the  shaded  drawings  which  show  that  the 
piece  is  not  finished.  Take  a  scale  and  measure  the  shaded  pictures 
and  compare  with  the  dimensions  shown  on  the  drawings.  Make 
a  cross  on  the  shaded  pictures  where  the  piece  does  not  measure 
right,  and  also  make  an  arrow  point  pointing  to  the  figures  on 
the  figured  drawing  showing  each  dimension  that  has  been  made 
wrong  in  the  finished  piece. 

Supposing  that  only  one  piece  was  to  be  made  from  these 
drawings,  how  would  you  answer  the  following  questions?  Tell 
what  tools  and  machines  would  be  used. 

1.  How  would  you  make  the  hole  marked  Af 

2.  How  would  you  make  the  slot  marked  Bf 

3.  How  would  you  make  the  slot  marked  Cf 

4.  How  would  you  make  the  pin  marked  Df 

5.  (Only  those  ambitious  to  be  foremen  need  answer  this  and 
the  last  question.)  What  changes  in  process  would  you  make 
from  above  answers,  if  the  piece  was  to  be  made  in  100,000  lots? 

6.  How  would  you  plan  work  for  the  whole  piece  in  100,000 
lots? 


Figure  53.  (a)  Instructions  Accompanying  Expert  Machinists' Test.  (Sheet  i.) 


PICKING   THE   RIGHT   MAN   FOR   THE   JOB  159 


Figure  53.     (b)  Expert  Machinists'  Test.     (Sheet  2  ) 


l6o  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

a  matter  of  ''hunches."  "You  can  tell,"  said  one  employment 
executive  emphatically,  when  asked  by  what  means  he  judged 
a  man's  character.  And  after  all,  the  experienced  man-selector, 
very  often  with  the  aid  of  tests,  and  of  common  sense  always, 
probably  "can  tell"  in  a  large  majority  of  cases. 


CHAPTER  XII 

IDENTIFICATION  SYSTEMS 

Function  of  an  Identification  System 

One  of  the  functions  of  a  newly  installed  employment 
department  is  to  formulate  a  system  of  identification  if  none 
exists,  or  to  perfect  any  system  that  may  already  exist  in 
part.  A  great  deal  of  time  is  lost  by  employees  in  checking 
in  and  out,  collecting  pay  in  cases  of  mistaken  identity,  and  in 
fraudulent  impersonation  through  faulty  systems  of  identifica- 
tion. The  identification  plan  may  be  developed  at  the  same 
time  and  in  the  same  manner  as  the  survey  of  departments 
for  the  purpose  of  making  job  analyses. 

The  first  step  in  installing  any  such  system  is  to  obtain 
a  complete  list  of  the  names  of  the  employees  from  the  pay- 
roll or  directly  from  the  various  departments.  This  list  should 
later  be  verified  by  the  foremen  of  the  departments.  Next, 
the  head  foreman  and  the  subforemen  of  each  department 
should  determine  the  probable  maximum  total  of  workers  that 
might  be  employed  in  their  department.  Then  definite  sets 
of  numbers  should  be  assigned  for  each.     (See  Figure  54.) 

In  a  departmentalized  plant  of  any  size,  however,  a  more 
detailed  system  is  needed  for  effective  identification.  Numer- 
ous systems  are  in  use  in  various  plants,  but  only  those  systems 
are  described  here  which  have  proved  in  actual  practice  to  be 
highly  effective. 

Colors  and  Numerals 

The  first  system  to  be  discussed  is  based  upon  the  use 
of  colors  in  conjunction  with  numerals  to  identify  the  dif- 

161 


l62 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


Department 

Head  Foreman 

Subforemen 

Numbers 

Sheetmill          

Strong 

R.  Wilkes.  M.  Rogers,  C.  Fish.   Mat 
Sheffield,  W.  Marks,  A.  G.  Thomas, 
G.  M.  Guild 

I—  900 

Anode-mill 

Rogers 

J.  Shaw,  M.  Smythe,  L.  Herbert 

901-1200 

S.  Tankroom 

MacDonald 

E.  Colp,  M.  Gross,  J.  Brown,  L.  Rit- 
ter,  R.  Pomerski,  K.  Judd,  E.  Pres- 
ton, C.  Kjng 

Yard 

Williams 

L.  Brolowski,  F.  Callahan,  P.  Jones. 
R.   Pendelton,    M.   Stevens,   A.    G. 
Bejiman,  L.  Cowgill,  P.   Malinski, 
E.  Davis 

Smelter 

Bagley 

L.  Kelly,  P.  Jamison,  F.  Markley 

Nickel 

Hartley 

W.  Kapler,  W.  MiUstone,  J.  C.  Cope- 

Rupert 
Conway 

land 

M.  Russell,  L.  Parks,  J.  A.  Gordon, 
F.  Barlowski 

M.    Gordon,    W.    H.    Lafayette,    G. 
Wilson 

Power  House 

4101-4150 

Brass  Foundry 

Winecrux 

A.  Sywalski,  F.  Herman,  L.  Evans .  .  . 

4200-4600 

Casting  House  A.  D. .  . 

Evarts 

E.  Jermain,  M.  Davis,  E.  Purkey,  F. 
Laird 

5000-5300 

Casting  House  B.  C. .  . 

Bangs 

G.  Shaw,  F.  Hamilton,  D.  Tignor,  F. 
Quigg,    L.    Sands.    P.    Murphy,    T. 
Elkhart,  M.  Cross 

6000-7000 

M.  Tankroom 

Sherwood 

F.   Mays.  Z.  Wallis.    F.    Walton,    T. 
Miller,  J.  Andrews,  A.  Berman 

7001-7300 

Electrical  Dep't 

Mangold 

S.  Thomas 

8000-8300 

Machine-shop 

King 

B.  Coffee,  S.  Held,  J.  Rittenhouse,  R. 
Booth,  J.  Kirby,  P.  Hunt,  W.  Mil- 
ton 

8301-8600 

Bricklaying  Dep't .... 

Fowler 

L.  Culbert,  Geo.  Hines,  J.  Willard 

8601-8800 

Carpenter  Dep't 

Peabody 

G.   Blake.   F.   Hyatt,   A.  Armour,  J. 
Leroy,  S.  Windham,  S.  Morgan,  R. 
Prank.  M.  Weaver 

8801-9000 

Peabody 

V.  Irving.  C.  Kippler.  P.   Moore.  J. 
Lenahan.  H.  Summers 

Figure   54.     The   Departmental   Survey — The  First   Step  in   Installing   an 
Identification  System 

This  survey  lists  the  names  of  departments,  their  respective  head  foremen,  subforemen, 
and  the  numeral  assigned  to  each. 

The  gaps  in  the  numbering  are  omissions  for  the  purpose  of  assigning  them  to  future 
departments. 


IDENTIFICATION    SYSTEMS  163 

ferent  departments.  Where  there  are  too  many  departments 
for  the  colors  to  go  round,  several  departments  may  be  grouped 
and  the  colors  used  for  the  identification  of  the  groups.  In 
a  certain  plant,  for  instance,  there  are  seventeen  departments. 
It  is  expedient  to  take  those  which  are  kindred  in  their  work, 
and  form  them  into  seven  groups,  assigning  a  color  to  each 
group.  (See  Figure  55.)  Red,  blue,  white,  orange,  brown, 
purple,  and  green  buttons  are  used  to  distinguish  respective 
groups,  the  number  of  each  button  indicating  a  particular 
department.  Letters  of  the  alphabet  are  used  to  designate 
the  various  head  foremen.  Each  letter  is  printed  on  a  tab, 
preferably  of  linen  or  canvas,  attached  to  -each  button  to  in- 
dicate the  head  foreman  under  whom  the  wearer  is  working. 
(See  Figure  56.) 

Suppose  each  head  foreman  has  under  him  a  group  of 
sub  foremen.  To  each  of  these  sub  foremen  a  number  will  be 
assigned.  If  there  are  five  subforemen  the  numbers  will  range 
from  I  to  5.  The  most  important  subforemen  will  be  repre- 
sented by  I,  the  next  in  order  of  importance  by  2,  and  so  on. 
The  employment  department  furnishes  the  numbers  and  letters 
on  buttons  and  tags  for  every  workingman,  to  the  various 
departments  and  head  foremen.  The  head  foremen  distribute 
them  to  the  subforemen,  who  in  turn  give  them  to  their  sub- 
ordinates. 

Briefly  summarizing,  the  procedure  is  as  follows:  Each 
department  has  a  definite  set  of  numbers  assigned  to  it.  A 
number  printed  on  a  button  indicates  that  the  wearer  of  the 
button  belongs  to  a  certain  department ;  the  number  also  indi- 
cates the  head  foreman  of  the  department.  Each  department 
(and  sometimes  a  group  of  departments)  has  its  distinctive 
color — the  color  of  the  button.  Each  head  foreman  has  a 
letter,  and  each  sub  foreman  a  number — the  letter  and  number 
appearing  on  the  tab  attached  to  the  button.  The  button  and 
the  tab  serve  to  identify  the  department  of  each  employee  and 


164 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


also  the  head  foreman  and  subforeman  under  whom  he  works. 

For  example,  suppose  a  man  is  seen  wearing  a  blue  button 

numbered  between  6000  and  64CX),  say  6209,  with  a  tab  at- 


Group 

Departments 

Numbers 

Head 
Foremen 

Letter 

Subforemen 

Casting  &  Rolling 
Color— Blue 

Casting  B.  C. 

6000-6400 

Bangs 

A 

C.  Shaw — A I 

F.  Hamilton— A2 

D.  Tignor — A3 

l!  Sands—  A5 
P.  Murphy — A6 
T.  Elkhart— A7 
M.  Cross — A8 

Casting  A.  D. 

5000-5300 

Evarts 

B 

K.  Jermain — Bi 
M.  Davis— B  2 

E.  Purkey — B3 

F.  Laird — B4 

Anode-mill 

901-1200 

Rogers 

c 

J.  Shaw — Ci 
M.  Smythe— C2 
L.  Herbert— C3 

Bricklaying 

8601-8800 

Fowler 

D 

L.  Culbert— Di 
G.  Hines — D2 
J.  WiUard— D3 

Refining 
Color— Red 

S.  Tankroom 

1201-1900 

MacDonald 

E 

E.  Colp— Ei 
M.  Gross — E2 
J.  Brown — E3 
L.  Ritter— E4 
R.  Pomerski — Es 
K.  Judd— E6 
E,  Preston — E7 
C.  King— E8 

M.  Tankroom 

7000-7300 

Sherwood 

F 

F.  Mays— Fi 
Z.  Wallis— F2 
F.  Walton — F3 
T.  Miller— F4 
J.  Andrews — Ps 
A.  Berman— F6 

Power  House 

4101-4150 

Conway 

G 

M.  Gordon — Gi 

W.  H.  Lafayette— Ga 

G.  Wilson— G3 

Figure  55.    Identification  System 

In  this  system  the  groups  are  distinguished  by  colors,  the 

tached  bearing  the  Symbol  Ai ;  these  symbols  would  be  inter- 
preted as  follows:  The  blue  button  would  indicate  that  the 
person  wearing  it  belonged  to  the  casting  and  rolling  group; 
the  number,  to  department  casting  house  BC;  that  his  head 
foreman  was  Mr.  Bangs,  and  his  subforeman  Mr.  Shaw— 
the  first  subforeman  under  Mr.  Bangs. 

Suppose  again  that  a  man  is  seen  with  a  blue  button,  bear- 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS 


165 


ing  the  number  6253,  with  a  tab  marked  A2.  The  tab  and 
button  together  signify  that  he  is  of  the  casting  and  rolHng 
group,  department  casting  house  BC;  that  his  head  foreman 


Group 

Departments 

Numbers 

Head 
Foremen 

Letter 

Subforemen 

Construction 
Color — White 

Carpenter 

8801-9000 

Peabody 

H 

G.  Blake— Hi 
F.  Hyatt— H 2 
A.  Armour — H3 
J.  Leroy — H4 
S.  Windham— Hs 
S.  Morgan — H6 
R.  Frank— H7 
M.  Weaver— H8 

Construction 

9000-9600 

Peabody 

J 

V.  Irving— Ji 
C.  Kippler— J2 
F.  Moore — J3 
J,  Lenahan — J4 
H.  Summers — Js 

By-Products 
Color — Brown 

Slimes 

4000-4100 

Rupert 

K 

M.  Russell— Ki 
L.  Parks— K2 
J.  Gordon — K3 
F.  Barlowski — K4 

Smelter 

3001-3200 

Bagley 

L 

L.  Kelly— Li 
P.  Jamison — L2 
E.  Markley — L3 

Nickel 

3201-3600 

Hartley 

M 

W.  Kapler— Mi 
W.  Millstone— M 2 
J.  C.  Copeland — M3 

Manufacturing 
Color — Orange 

Sheetmill 

I-  900 

Strong 

N 

R  Wilkes— N I 
M.  Rogers— N  2 
C.  Fish— N3 
M.  Sheffield— N4 
W.  Marks— Ns 
A.  G.  Thomas — N6 
G.  H.  GuUd— N7 

Brass  Foundry 

4200-4600 

Winecrux 

0 

A.  Sywalski— Oi 
F.  Herman — O2 
L.  Evans — O3 

Using  Colors,  Letters,  and  Numerals 

foremen  by  letters  of  the  alphabet,  and  subforemen  by  numerals. 

is  Mr.  Bangs,  and  his  immediate  superior  Mr.  Hamilton — ^the 
second  subforeman  under  Mr.  Bangs. 


Colors,    Numerals,    and    Location    of    Department    to    Pay- 
Windows  and  Exit 
According  to  another  system  a  survey  of  the  department 
is  first  made  as  described  above;  but  instead  of  dividing  and 


i66 


GETTING  EMPLOYEES 


^  WORKS% 


Figiire  56.     Sample  of  Buttons  and  Tabs  Used  in  Identification  System 
Portrayed  in  Figures  55  and  57 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS  167 

assigning  as  before,  after  an  investigation  of  the  number  of 
men  at  work  and  the  maximum  that  might  be  hired,  the  num- 
bers are  divided  and  assigned  to  each  head  foreman  as  the 
head  of  a  group  and  then  subdivided  according  to  the  needs 
of  each  subforeman  of  any  particular  group. 

The  numbers  are  allotted  in  accordance  with  the  acces- 
sibility of  a  department  to  the  clock,  exit,  and  pay  office. 
Numbers  ranging  from  i  to  100  are  nearest  the  clock,  exit, 
and  pay  office;  200  to  300  are  nearer  than  500  or  600,  and 
so  on.  This  scheme  enables  the  plant  to  be  emptied  in  less 
than  half  the  time.  It  prevents  the  men  from  abandoning 
their  work  long  before  the  whistle  sounds  in  order  to  get 
down -to  the  clock  in  reasonable  time.  When  one  of  the  500 
group  is  at  the  clock,  one  of  the  100  group  is  on  his  way  out. 
On  pay-day,  likewise,  there  is  no  congestion  at  the  window, 
because  the  men  are  obliged  to  take  their  turn  according  to 
number. 

In  distributing  the  numbers,  the  variety  of  the  work  must 
be  taken  into  consideration;  and  certain  contingencies,  such 
as  the  formation  of  a  new  department,  must  be  provided 
against.  Numbers  i  to  775,  for  instance,  may  be  allotted 
to  the  day  force,  and  "j"]^  to  1000  to  the  night  force.  A  man 
wearing  a  button  with  a  number  between  776  and  1000  is 
then  immediately  recognized  as  being  a  night  worker. 

This  division  of  numbers  permits  the  use  of  the  same 
series  of  colors  for  day  and  for  night,  the  numbers  alone 
distinguishing  the  night  from  the  day  force.  Thus  there 
are  sufficient  colors  to  use  for  separate  departments  without 
being  obliged  to  group  the  departments.  The  colors  may  be 
carried  by  the  tabs,  attached  to  the  buttons,  instead  of  con- 
stituting the  background  of  the  button  itself.  One  of  the 
objects  of  the  detachable  tab  is  to  avoid  making  out  transfer 
slips  if  a  man  is  loaned  by  one  foreman  to  another  for  a  day 
or  two. 


1 68  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

Under  this  system  when  a  man  is  temporarily  transferred 
to  assist  in  another  department,  he  is  given  the  button  with 
one  of  the  numbers  assigned  to  his  foreman.  He  then  detaches 
the  old  tab,  and  substitutes  for  it  the  new  one  that  is  furnished 
to  him  by  the  foreman  to  whom  he  is  loaned.  If  he  remains 
for  an  indefinite  period,  or  if  the  change  seems  likely  to 
become  permanent,  this  button  is  also  changed  and  another, 
with  one  of  the  numbers  of  the  new  foreman,  is  substituted. 
Otherwise  he  wears  the  tab  of  the  man  to  whom  he  was  loaned 
for  the  period  during  which  he  is  under  his  supervision. 

As  an  illustration,  suppose  a  man  wears  a  button  numbered 
1 8  with  a  brown  tab  attached.  It  signifies  that  he  is  under 
L.  Webster,  in  the  tool  crib.  (See  Figure  57.)  If  he  wears 
a  button  with  a  number  between  25  and  200  with  a  blue  tab, 
he  belongs  to  R.  Miller,  who  is  head  foreman  of  the  crank 
shaft  department.  First  the  color  indicated  it,  and  then  the 
number,  by  this  system  of  double  identification.  If  a  man 
wears  a  button  numbered  with  a  blue  tab  marked  B2,  he  is 
from  the  crank  shaft  department,  his  head  foreman  is  R. 
Miller,  and  subforeman,  H.  Baker. 

If  a  man  wears  a  button  with  a  number  between  201  and 
300,  with  yellow  tab  attached  marked  C,  he  is  under  head 
foreman  Mr.  Hennigan  of  the  piston  rod  and  connecting  rod 
department. 

If  a  man  wears  a  button  numbered  215,  with  a  yellow  tab 
marked  C  attached,  he  is  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the 
head  foreman,  who  in  addition  to  supervising  the  department 
and  the  subforeman,  has  a  few  men  working  directly  under 
him.    In  this  case  the  head  foreman  acts  also  as  a  subforeman. 

If  a  man  wears  a  button  numbered  291  with  a  yellow  tab 
marked  C3  attached,  it  means  that  he  is  working  in  the  con- 
necting and  piston  rod  department,  that  his  head  foreman  is 
Mr.  Hennigan,  and  his  immediate  superior,  subforeman 
Kemery. 


IDENTIFICATION    SYSTEMS 


169 


Color 

Letter 

Head 
Foreman 

Numbers 
Inclusive 

Subforemen 

Letter 

Numbers  Inclusive 

Brown 

A 

L.  Webster 

1-24 

A 

1-24 

Blue.. 

B 

R.  Miller 

25-200 

C.  Demsen 
E.  Baker 
H.  Praater 
C.  Fegly 
E.  Stabley 
C.  Beck 
C.  Darling 
J.  Hall 

Bi 

B2 

B7 
B8 

26-45 

46-70 

71-85 

86-110 
111-145 
146-165 
166-185 
186-200  (Power  House) 

YeUow 

C 

F.  Hennigan 

201-300 

Hennigan 
C.  Ebner 
J.  Fox 
C.  Kemery 

C 
Ci 

C2 

C3 

201-225 

256-286 
287-300 

Red... 

D 

G.  Burkhart 

301-380 

G.  Burkhart 
C.  Crawford 
H.  Edler 

D 
Di 

D2 

301-340 
341-360 
361-380 

White. 

H 

J.  Passanault 

381-400 

Passanault 

H 

381-400 

Green. 

E 

J.  O'Connor 

401-600 

J.  O'Connor 

C.  Yearick 

D.  Donachy 

Ei 

E2 

E3 

40I-43S 
436-480 
481-510 

E4 

511-545 

W.  Grimes 

E5 

546-575 

R.  VanderbUt 

E6 

576-600 

Blue.. 

B* 

R.  Miller 

601-635 

R.  Bums 

B9 

601-635 

Blue.. 

B* 

R.  Miller 

636-650 

Stutzman 

Bio 

636-650 

Pink.. 

G 

J.  Strehle 
F.  Bender 

651-675 

Strehle 

G 

651-675 

None. 

676-690 

E.  Herrick 

676-690 

Black. 

K 

0.  Lehman 

691-725 

0.  Lehman 

K 

691-725 

White. 

0 

H.  Yount 

726-750 

H.  Yount 

0 

726-750 

None. 

Miscellaneous 

751-775 
Night 
Force 

Miscellaneous 

751-775 

Yellow 

L 

W.  Younkin 

776-810 

W.  Younkin 

L 

776-810 

Yellow 

M 

F.  Shoak 

811-845 

F.  Shoak 

M 

811-845 

Blue.. 

P 

F.  O'Donnell 

846-880 

F.  O'Donnell 

P 

846-880 

Brown 

P.  Diffenbaugh 

881-895 

P.  Diffenbaugh 

Q 

881-895 

Blue.. 

R 

M.  Goldy 

896-935 

M.  Goldy 

R 

896-935 

Blue.. 

S 

C.  Hess 

936-950 

C.  Hess 

S 

936-950 

Blue. . 

V 

H.  Fisher 

951-960 

H.  Fisher 

V 

951-960 

Green. 

X 

G.  Kane 

961-980 

G.  Kane 

X 

961-980 

Blue.. 

z 

H.  Screiber 

981-1000 
Foundry 

H.  Schreiber 

z 

981-1000 

Purple 

T 

L.  Reinhard 

1001-1400 

H.  Cephart 
R.  Caselbery 
F.  Krantz 
R.  Reis 

Ti 

T2 

?5 

1001-1150 
1151-1250 
1251-1350 
X351-1400 

None. 

Government 

1401-1500 

• 
None  . 

Guards 

1501-1550 

♦These,  while  under  the  foreman  head,  R.  Miller  in  this  section,  are  also  under  him  in 
another  section.     Therefore  letter  B  for  both  sections. 

Figure  57.     Identification  System  Using  Colors,  Numerals,  and  Location  of 
Department  with  Respect  to  Pay  Windows  and  Exits 

In  this  system  the  numbers  are  divided  and  assigned  to  each  head  foreman  as  the  head  of 
the  group  and  then  subdivided  according  to  the  needs  of  the  subforemen. 


170  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

There  are  many  variations  possible.  For  example,  if  a 
man  wears  a  button  numbered  520,  with  a  blue  tab  B6,  Mr. 
O'Connor  is  his  head  foreman  in  the  cylinder  assembly  depart- 
ment, his  subforeman  is  Mr.  Clark,  and  he  has  been  loaned 
to  head  foreman  R.  Miller  of  the  crank  shaft  department. 
For  the  time  being  he  is  directly  under  the  supervision  of 
C.  Beck,  a  subforeman  in  that  department. 

A  man  working  in  the  daytime,  with  a  button  marked  885 
and  a  brown  tab  A,  is  in  his  own  department,  but  belongs  to 
the  night  shift. 

The  key  of  the  identification  system  of  buttons,  numbers, 
tabs,  letters,  and  the  like,  is  furnished  to  executives  and  fore- 
men who  can  readily  learn  it  by  heart.  It  may  be  printed 
on  a  triple  folding  card  that  will  fit  easily  into  the  pocket, 
or  on  paper  that  can  be  pasted  into  the  memorandum  book 
which  foremen  usually  carry. 

Each  man's  number  is  the  same  on  the  clock  card  and 
his  button.  Care  must  be  taken  that  buttons  are  turned  in 
when  the  men  quit,  and  not  given  to  others  until  after  pay- 
day, unless  permanent  transfers  are  made  to  another  depart- 
ment, when  the  buttons  are  changed  immediately  and  the  pay 
department  is  notified. 

A  worker  must  wear  his  button  in  a  conspicuous  place, 
preferably  on  his  cap  or  shirt,  but  never  on  the  waistband 
of  his  trousers,  because  the  button  becomes  scratched  and  the 
attached  tab  soiled  by  the  worker's  leaning  against  hard,  or 
soiled  objects. 

Buttons  and  tabs  should  be  highly  pigmented,  so  that  the 
colors  are  easily  discernible  and  attractive  to  the  eye.  The 
numbers  and  letters  should  be  large  and  distinctly  outlined, 
and  visible  at  a  distance  of  15  feet.  Their  arrangement  and 
conspicuousness  should  enable  one  to  place  the  worker  by  the 
combination  of  button,  tab,  color,  number,  and  letter  imme- 
diately and  to  identify  him  at  once,  either  for  the  purpose 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS  171 

of  remembering  him  for  a  meritorious  act,  or  the  violation 
of  a  rule. 

The  system  thus  identifies  the  exact  department  and  loca- 
tion to  which  a  man  properly  belongs,  and  prevents  aimless 
wandering  about  the  works  without  authority.  To  executives 
and  head  foremen,  and  to  other  men,  such  as  truckers  and 
stock-tracers  whose  work  takes  them  all  over  the  plant,  a 
button  marked  ''entire  plant"  is  issued. 

Colors,  Numerals,  and  Code  System  Checking  Shift,  Day,  and 
Month 

A  third  plan  is  particularly  suited  to  a  plant  in  which 
some  secret  process  must  be  guarded  or  which  undesirable 
outsiders  are  likely  to  attempt  to  enter. 

Suppose  there  are  fifteen  departments  in  the  plant.  A 
definite  set  of  numbers  is  assigned  to  each  department.  These 
numbers  are  shown  on  buttons  or  badges,  and  indicate  the 
department  to  which  the  wearer  belongs.  The  system  is  linked 
to  the  time  and  pay-roll  records  through  the  use  of  a  brass 
check  for  registering  the  arrival  and  leaving  of  employees. 
The  number  on  the  brass  check  corresponds  with  that  on  the 
employee's  badge,  the  checks  being  kept  on  racks  made  for 
the  purpose.  The  checks  are  given  out  to  the  men  upon 
arrival  in  the  morning  and  are  taken  up  at  quitting  time.  A 
glance  at  the  racks  enables  the  timekeeper  to  tell  who  is  absent 
at  the  time  the  inspection  is  made. 

The  most  important  item  in  this  system  of  identification 
is  the  pasteboard  tab.  The  tab  is  made  attachable  to  the  but- 
ton. Unlike  the  button  itself,  the  tab  is  attached  only  during 
working  hours,  being  taken  away  and  given  out  at  the  same 
time  as  the  brass  timekeeping  check. 

The  plan  under  which  the  tabs  are  operated,  though  some- 
what complex,  is  readily  adaptable  and  effective.    The  arrange- 


172 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


ment  of  the  tabs  changes  monthly  and  is  kept  secret,  so  as 
to  leave  the  employees  ignorant  of  the  day-to-day  symbol, 
which  is  really  a  pass  word  or  "countersign"  made  up  of  letter 
and  word  combinations  appearing  on  the  tabs.     (See  Figure 

58).  The  twenty-six  letters 
of  the  alphabet  and  twelve  lists 
of  twenty-six  names,  taken 
from  posters  of  statesmen, 
battleships,  states,  etc.,  with 
the  color  of  the  tab,  comprise 
an  interchangeable  code  source. 
The  month-by-month  grouping 
of  tab  symbols  must  be  laid  out 
in  advance,  printed  on  the  tabs 
for  several  months  ahead,  and 
filed  away  so  that  no  infor- 
mation as  to  their  interpreta- 
tion escapes. 

Figure  59  shows  the  pro- 
vision made  for  daily  distribu- 
tion of  the  tabs,  prearranged 
according  to  the  letters  of  the 
alphabet,  and  code  words 
chosen  for  that  month.  Both  letter  and  code  word  re- 
fer to  the  day  of  the  month.  The  three  shifts  are  de- 
nominated by  different  colors,  which  also  change  from  day 
to  day. 

Personal  identity  cannot  be  mistaken  with  such  an  ex- 
haustively constructed  system  of  identification.  Suppose,  for 
example,  a  man's  tab  is  red,  with  the  letter  "D"  and  the  code 
word  "Butler.*'  His  presence  in  the  plant  is  regular  if  it  is 
March  4  between  the  hours  of  5  p.m.  and  12  midnight, 
which  is  the  second  shift. 


Figure  58.  Illustration  of  Button 
Used  in  Identification  System  Em- 
ploying Colors,  Numerals,  and  Code 
System  Checking  Shift,  Day  and 
Month 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS 


173 


Month  of  March 


Day 


Letter 


Shifts 


Color 


Code  Word 


B 


D 


H 


Red 

Green 

Blue 

Blue 

White 

Yellow 

Brown 
Green 
Red 

White 

Red 

Greefn 

Red 

White 
Yellow 

Blue 
Red 

Yellow 

Green 

Red 

Yellow 

Blue 
Brown 

White 

Red 
Blue 
White 


Grant 

Sherman 

Foch 

Butler 

Lee 

Joffre 

Sheridan 

Pershing 

Diaz 


Figure  59.     Table  Showing  Provision  Made  in  Identification  System  Illus- 
trated in  Figure  58  for  Daily  Distribution  of  Tabs,  According  to  Letters  and 
Code  Words,  for  One  Month 


174  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

Numerals  Corresponding  with  Tool  Checks 

The  outstanding  feature  of  the  system  next  to  be  explained, 
is  the  connection  between  the  identification  badge  and  any  tool 
checks  that  may  be  issued  to  a  worker.  It  prevents  the  issu- 
ance of  tools  and  the  payment  of  wages  to  the  wrong  person. 
No  workman  can  get  his  pay  until  every  tool  in  his  possession 
is  returned  to  the  company's  keeping.  This  is  true,  ordinarily, 
only  when  a  man  is  leaving  permanently;  but  in  some  com- 
panies a  tool  clearance  must  be  shown  at  every  pay-day  because 
of  the  extraordinary  value  of  the  tools  used. 

Badge  numbers  are  allotted  serially  among  the  departments 
or  divisions  in  the  plant.  The  button  used  permits  the  insert 
to  be  changed  at  will.  The  pasteboard  or  celluloid  insert  shows 
the  number  that  is  assigned  to  the  employee.  At  the  same 
time  the  employee  is  given  ten  tool  checks  on  a  key,  each 
check  bearing  the  same  number.  This  number  is  identical 
with  that  appearing  on  the  employee's  badge.  These  checks 
he  uses  in  drawing  tools  from  the  tool  crib.  He  hands  in  a 
check  and  receives  a  tool.  The  check  is  held  by  the  man  in 
charge  of  the  crib  until  that  tool  is  returned.  The  employee 
must  show  all  the  ten  checks  to  the  paymaster  (to  prove  he 
has  returned  all  the  tools  borrowed)  before  he  can  draw  his 
pay.  In  addition  to  this,  the  number  on  the  tool  checks 
agreeing  with  the  number  on  the  man's  badge,  proves  to  the 
paymaster  that  the  employee  is  the  person  he  represents  him- 
self to  be.  As  a  further  precaution  against  paying  off  until 
tool  clearance  has  been  completed,  the  tool  crib  clerks  on  pay- 
day telephone  to  the  paymaster  the  numbers  of  the  checks  on 
hand.  This  information  is  used  in  marking  the  corresponding 
pay-envelope,  **hold  for  tool  clearance."  The  employee  in  that 
event  must  return  the  tools  to  the  crib,  get  his  checks  back 
and  again  report  to  the  paymaster  with  a  full  set  of  tool 
checks  before  his  pay  is  released.  As  a  final  precaution,  the 
paymaster  has  available  the  signature  of  all  employees,  taken 


IDENTIFICATION    SYSTEMS  175 

at  the  time  of  employment,  which  he  uses  for  comparison 
with  the  signature  on  the  pay-roll  if  he  is  inclined  to  doubt 
the  identity  of  any  workman. 

Numerals,  Photographs,  Photographic  Code  Backgrounds,  and 
Thumb  Prints 

This  system  is  as  nearly  "fool-proof"  as  can  be  devised. 
It  is  particularly  suited  to  a  very  large  plant,  which  requires 
an  elaborate  and  detailed  identification  system. 

To  explain  this  system  clearly,  it  is  necessary  to  detail 
the  successive  stages  through  which  a  new  employee  must 
pass.  Suppose  the  employment  and  medical  departments, 
located  at  the  gate,  perform  their  offices  on  behalf  of  the 
apphcant  before  he  is  ready  to  receive  the  insignia  of  a  full- 
fledged  employee.  After  the  applicant  has  successfully  passed 
the  requirements  of  both  examinations,  he  is  assigned  two 
numbers — one  his  employment  or  serial  number,  the  other  his 
identification  as  a  member  of  a  particular  department. 

He  is  then  given  a  temporary  button,  with  removable  back 
which  permits  the  insertion  of  the  numbers  assigned.  With 
this  button  the  applicant  is  able  to  enter  the  grounds  and  pro- 
ceed to  the  identification  office  without  molestation.  When 
he  is  received  at  the  identification  office,  a  temporary  pass 
(see  Figure  60)  is  made  out  in  his  favor,  upon  which  the 
two  numbers  shown  on  his  button  are  written;  the  smaller 
portion  of  the  pass  being  separated  at  the  perforation  and 
retained  by  the  issuing  clerk  for  comparison  when  he  returns 
later  for  his  permanent  button.  The  applicant  then  presents 
his  card  at  a  photograph  room  and  his  picture  is  taken.  The 
photographer  poses  him  seated,  with  his  hat  on  (front  view, 
head  and  shoulders),  using  as  a  background  a  figured  design, 
representative  of  the  section  in  which  he  is  to  work.  (See 
Figure  60.)  Each  of  the  numbers  shown  on  the  button  and 
pass  is  made  up  and  inserted  on  a  cardboard  sign,  which  is 


176 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS  177 

photographed  with  the  applicant.  The  department  numbers 
appear  in  large  figures  directly  over  the  smaller  figures,  which 
indicate  the  workman's  employment  or  serial  number. 

Next,  the  applicant  again  presents  himself  to  the  Issuing 
clerk,  who  makes  up  in  triplicate  an  identification  card  as  a 
permanent  record  for  the  files  of  the  identification  office,  pay- 
master, and  employment  office.  The  applicant's  finger-prints 
and  signature  are  taken  on  the  back  of  the  card,  the  front 
being  filled  with  the  photo  and  other  details  of  description. 

If  the  man  is  ready  to  go  to  work  immediately,  and  if  the 
permanent  photographic  button  cannot  be  issued  for  a  few 
days,  he  retains  the  temporary  badge  and  pass — the  badge 
admitting  him  to  his  department,  and  the  pass  being  used 
as  his  entree  into  the  plant  each  day.  During  this  period 
he  surrenders  the  temporary  badge  each  night  at  the  gate. 
He  gives  up  the  pass  at  the  identification  office  when  he  receives 
the  permanent  photographic  badge. 

The  above  described  method  of  allotting  numbers  assumes 
that  the  plant  is  divided  into  5  sections  and  that  each  section 
is  distinguished  by  the  figurative  background  used  in 
photographing  applicants.  The  employment  office  numbering 
plan  gives  to  each  section  a  set  of  numbers  sufficiently  exten- 
sive to  cover  the  maximum  employees  that  might  be  required. 
To  the  several  departments  of  each  section  is  assigned  a  pro- 
portionate series  of  numbers  with  symbols  to  correspond.  (See 
Figure  61.) 

The  employment  or  serial  numbers  aforementioned  are 
individually  assigned  and  are  perpetual  indexes  to  each  person. 
They  range  from  i  to  99,999  starting  over  with  Ai  to  A99,999 
to  avoid  extending  the  digits  into  six  figures.  Unlike  the 
serial  numbers,  department  numbers  change  with  the  em- 
ployee's status.  Once  assigned,  the  employment  serial  number 
is  never  given  to  any  other  man,  but  always  remains  attached 
to  the  name  linked  with  it  originally,  whether  the  person  is 


178 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


transferred,  laid  off,  or  quits,  and  subsequently  is  reinstated 
or  re-employed. 

As  an  example  of  how  this  works  out,  we  shall  suppose 
that  a  man  is  seen  wearing  a  button  having  a  background 


Section 

Dept. 

Asst.  Supts. 

Numbers 

Sub  Depts. 

Head  Foremen 

No.  I 

A 

H.  Dyer 

I  to     lOOO 

Ai —       I  to 
A2 —  201  " 
A3 —  401  " 

200 
400 
750 

J.  Blane 
B.  Drill 
L.  Marks 

Supt. 

A4—  751  '• 

1000 

F.  HetmuUer 

James  Dixon 

B 

F.  Beall 

lOOI  to      2SOO 

Bi — looi  " 

1500 

Q.  Quinn 
L.  Gamer 

B2 — 1501  " 

1900 

B3 — 1901  " 

2500 

S.  Rust 

Nos. 

C 

H.  Clay 

2501  to    3600 

Ci — 2501  " 

2750 

M.  Hirsh 

I  to  4SOO 

C2— 2751  " 
C3 — 3201  " 

3200 
3600 

F.  Sower 
S.  Curran 

D 

B.  Cameron 

3601  to  4500 

Di — 3601  " 
D2 — 3901  " 
D3— 4301  '• 

3900 
4300 
4500 

L.  Swann 
M.  Evans 
L.  Long 

No.  2 

E 

L.  Miller 

4501  to  sooo 

Ei— 4501  " 
E2 — 4701  '• 
E3 — 4801  " 
E4— 4901  " 

4700 
4800 
4900 
5000 

M.  Sherb 
L.  Levy 
B.  Durham 
W.  McMillan 

Supt. 

F 

F.  Bishop 

Sooi  to  7000 

Fi — 5001  " 

S400 

P.  R.  May 

E.  J.  Jackson 

F2 — S40I  " 
F3— S801  " 
F4 — 6001  " 

5800 
6000 
6600 

L.  Bates 
R.  Riley 
F.  Young 

Nos. 

Fs— 6601  " 

7000 

S.  Simmons 

4SOI  to  loooo 

G 

R.  Wallmar 

7001  to  8500 

Gi — 7001  " 
G2 — 7301  " 
G3 — 7501  " 
G4— 8001  " 

7300 
7500 
8000 
8500 

R.  Suwall 
S.  Luber 
S.  Martin 
R.  Speer 

H 

J.   McCormack 

8501  to  lOOOO 

Hi — 8501  " 
H2— 8801  " 
H3 — 9301  '* 
H4 — 9701  " 

8800 

9300 

9700 

I  oooo 

H.  Dixon 
G.  Gluck 
V.  VoUmer 
P.  Roth 

Figure  61.     Table  Showing  Assignment  of  Numerals  in  Identification  System 
Illustrated  in  Figure  60. 

To  the  several  departments  of  each  section  is  assigned^  a  proportionate  series  of  numbers 
with  symbols  to  correspond. 


No.  2,  checkerboard,  number- 


7685 
56784 


The  background  would 


indicate  that  he  belongs  in  section  No.  2 ;  that  he  is  a  member 
of  Department  G,  group  No.  3;  that  the  superintendent  of 
the  section  is  E.  J.  Jackson;  the  assistant  superintendent,  R. 
Wallmar,  and  his  head  foreman,  S.  Martin.  (See  Figure  61.) 
The  number  in  smaller  figures  underneath  refers  to  his  per- 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS  179 

sonal  number  which  is  never  changed,  as  previously  explained ; 
and  the  photo  is  first-hand  evidence  of  his  identity. 

Numerals  and  Distinctive  Contours 

Numbers  may  not  be  discernible  at  a  distance,  and  colors 
may  be  somewhat  confusing  under  variations  of  light;  but 
shapes  and  contours  cannot  easily  be  mistaken.  Metal  badges 
of  different  shapes  may  thus  serve  admirably  as  identifications 
of  groups  or  departments.     (See  Figure  62.) 

Under  this  system  each  person  is  given  a  brass  check 
corresponding  in  shape  and  number  with  the  badge.  The 
presentation  of  the  check  at  the  request  of  the  timekeeper, 
tool  crib  clerk,  or  paymaster  on  pay-day,  immediately  estab- 
lishes the  identity  and  department  of  the  worker. 

This  system  is  particularly  applicable  to  the  needs  of  a 
concern  around  whose  plant  several  contracting  firms  may  be 
employing  men. 

For  example:  A  plant  has  a  hauling  job  to  be  done.  The 
contracting  firm  that  engages  to  do  the  hauling  furnishes 
its  own  men.  These  men  must  enter  the  plant,  but  they  are 
not  part  of  the  organization,  and  are  not  paid  there.  There- 
fore, the  identification  system  just  described  is  useful  to 
prevent  mistakes  and  fraudulent  representation. 

Numerals  and  Visible  Signatures 

Personal  signatures  may  be  utilized  as  a  means  of  identifi- 
cation. Such  a  plan  involves  the  use  of  a  badge  with  a  remov- 
able back.  Paper  disk  inserts  are  used,  upon  which  the  names 
of  departments  are  printed,  with  a  blank  line  next  below  for 
the  signature  of  the  employee.  The  bottom  space  is  utilized 
for  the  stamping  of  the  number,  by  means  of  a  numbering 
machine  or  rubber  stamp.     (See  Figure  63.) 

The  scheme  outlined  above  is  economical  both  of  material 
and  time;  the  badges  are  interchangeable  on  short  notice  and 


i8o 


GETTING   EMPLOYEES 


r — "^ ? 

y  PUGo 

CHECK. 

/i63iq 


Figure  62.     Illustration  of  Identification  System  Employing  Numerals  and 
Distinctive  Contours  of  Badges 

Each  Group  or  Department  is  Identified  by  a  Different  Shaped  Badge  and 
Corresponding  Check. 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS  l8l 

it  takes  but  a  few  moments  to  complete  the  record  on  the  face 
of  the  insert.  With  the  signature  always  visible  for  com- 
parison, no  time  is  lost  at  the  pay  window  or  tool  crib  in 
recognizing  the  employee. 

Colors,    Numerals,   and    Different    Sized    Badges    of   Varied 
Metals 

This  is  known  as  the  badge  system  and  is  used  for  identify- 
ing   the    executives,    office    people, 
foremen,  and  other  employees. 

The  badge  system  comprises  five 
different  types  of  badges:  viz.,  a 
solid  gold  and  enamel  badge  for  the 
executives  and  distinctive  badges 
for  office  department  heads,  office 
employees,  foremen,  and  workmen. 

Each  of  these  badges  is  of  a  dif- 
ferent size  and  color  scheme,  and     . 

-  .  '.1      '.      1   r    '^      Figure  63.    Illustration  of  But- 

each    one    carries    with    it    defimte   ton  Used  in  Identification  Sys- 

privileges  and  limitations  as  to  ^^"^  ^"'we^sTnaTu^e^'''^  ^'''' 
entering  and  leaving  the  plant.     An 

executive  badge  entitles  an  officer  to  enter  the  plant  at  all  times, 
including  Sundays,  holidays,  and  nights.  The  office  department 
head  badge  entitles  the  wearer  to  enter  all  departments  of  the 
factory  and  to  admission  to  the  general  office  building  after 
working  hours  on  regular  days.  An  office  badge  entitles  an 
office  employee  to  enter  the  various  departments  of  the  factory 
during  working  hours.  A  foreman  badge  entitles  the  wearer 
to  admission  to  the  plant  and  also  to  the  use  of  the  elevators. 
A  workman  badge,  which  shows  both  department  and  number, 
merely  entitles  the  holder  to  admission  to  the  factory  at  his 
regular  working  hours. 

Promptly  at  the  time  work  begins  in  the  morning,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  lunch  period,  the  gates  are  closed.     No  man 


l82  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

is  allowed  to  enter  prior  to  this  who  has  not  shown  his  em- 
ployee badge.  If  a  factory  employee  arrives  after  time,  he 
hands  his  badge  to  the  watchman,  who  in  turn  sends  it  to  the 
.  time  office  to  be  checked  against  the  reading  of  the  time  clock. 
It  is  then  delivered  to  the  foreman,  who  returns  it  to  the 
workman.  This  gives  an  accurate  double  check  on  every  late 
employee.  In  case  of  overtime,  the  entrance  watchman  knows 
the  departments  that  are  working  and  the  badge  that  belongs 
to  that  department. 

The  system  just  described  is  invaluable  as  a  time-saver, 
and  as  a  double  check  on  the  handling  of  the  pay-roll.  Through 
its  use,  moreover,  the  elevator  operators  know  who  is  entitled 
to  use  the  elevators. 

Numerals  Corresponding  to  Sales  Record — Suitable  for  Use 
in  Stores 

The  store  and  office  present  conditions  very  different  from 
those  of  the  shop  and  factory.  Store  and  office  employees 
are  usually  well  grouped  in  small  units,  and  pass  a  good 
portion  of  the  day  in  one  place,  so  that  the  unit  head,  who 
knows  all  his  people,  can  easily  detect  the  presence  of  outsiders 
and  note  the  absence  of  his  own  without  the  aid  of  badge 
or  button.  One  large  department  store  applies  the  principles 
of  employee  identification,  however,  and  makes  it  a  part  of 
the  timekeeping  work  and  sales  record. 

Each  employee  carries  a  metal  disc  bearing  the  number 
assigned  to  him.  These  numbers  are  ingeniously  arranged  to 
indicate  the  department  in  which  the  employee  works  as  well 
as  his  numerical  order  in  that  department.  (See  Figure  64.) 
For  instance,  the  first  figure  of  any  number  on  a  disc  con- 
taining either  two  or  three  digits,  the  first  two  figures  of 
any  number  with  four  digits,  and  the  first  three  figures  of 
any  number  containing  five  digits  would  constitute  the  depart- 
ment number,  the  last  one  or  two  figures  showing  the  numerical 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS 


183 


order  of  the  person  in  the  department.  This  latter  figure 
is  never  more  than  two  digits,  anything  over  99  being  indicated 
by  the  addition  of  the  letter  a,  over  199  by  the  letter  b,  over 
299  by  the  letter  c,  and  so  on. 

At  the  various  entrances  of  the  establishment,  a  number 
of  upright  tubes  with  slot  openings  in  the  top,  are  arranged, 
each  with  a  capacity  of  100  discs  and  plainly  marked  to  show 
its  numerical  content. 


Figure  64.     Table  Showing  Identification  System  Suitable  for  Use  in  Store. 

Under  this  system  the  numbers  on  the  worker's    disc    are    so    arranged    as    to    indicate 
both  his  department  and  his  numerical  order  in  that  department. 


The  employee,  upon  arrival,  deposits  the  disc  in  its  tube, 
and  goes  directly  to  the  locker  room  for  change  from  street 
to  working  clothes.  From  the  locker  room  he  goes  to  his 
department  and  signs  an  attendance  sheet,  marking  on  it  the 
time  of  his  arrival  at  the  department.  The  tubes  are  collected 
at  8:45,  and  the  attendance  sheets  at  8:50,  the  timekeeper 
making  out  a  "comparison"  sheet  from  discs  and  attendance 
sheets,  by  means  of  which  the  pay-roll  is  prepared. 

The  attendance  sheet  signed  by  the  employees,  serves  to 
prevent  one  employee  "checking  in"  for  another  falsely,  and 


l84  GETTING  EMPLOYEES 

encourages  the  people  to  go  to  their  respective  departments 
ten  minutes  before  work  begins  to  get  things  under  way  for 
the  day.  The  numbers,  ingenious  in  themselves,  are  used  by 
sales  clerks  in  entering  sales  orders  and  making  out  sales  slips, 
and  fit  neatly  into  the  daily  routine,  always  giving  exact 
reference  to  the  person  making  the  sale. 

Signature  Slips  and  Photographic  Records 

Banking  houses  and  offices  of  insurance  companies  rarely 
use  what  might  be  termed  an  identification  system  among 
their  employees.  The  groups  or  units  are  so  small  and  closely 
supervised  that  identification  measures  are  not  a  necessary 
part  of  personnel  work.  Specimen  signature  slips  are,  how- 
ever, sometimes  required.     (See  Figure  65.) 

Photographic  records  of  employees  (front  and  side  view) 
are  taken  in  some  instances,  not  so  much  for  identification 
as  a  matter  of  convenience  to  executives  when  discussing 
personnel  records.  Instead  of  calling  the  employee  away  from 
his  work,  the  files  of  the  employment  office  are  consulted  for 
his  photograph,  which  usually  serves  the  purpose  just  as  well. 

The  Badge  or  Button 

In  practically  every  system  of  identification,  the  badge  or 
button  plays  an  important  part.  The  better  the  button  in 
quality  and  appearance,  the  better  it  is  for  the  purpose,  because 
it  is  more  highly  prized.  For  buttons  lost,  a  fee  of  25  cents 
to  $1  may  be  charged  and  deducted  from  a  man's  pay.  In  one 
plant,  the  cost  was  as  high  as  $5,  but  this  was  out  of  pro- 
portion to  its  value.  No  final  pay  should  be  given  in  full 
until  the  button  is  returned.  When  a  button  is  lost  a  blank 
cardboard  button  should  be  furnished  in  its  place  until  a 
duplicate  is  made.  The  latter  should  be  marked  "duplicate" 
and  should  be  recorded. 


IDENTIFICATION   SYSTEMS 


185 


THE  AMERICAN   BANK 

SPECIMEN  SIGNATURE  (EMPLOYEE) 


19 


THE    AMERICAN    BANK 

SPECIMEN  SIGNATURE  (EMPLOYEE) 


19 


SPECIMEN  SIGNATURE  OF: 


19 


EMPLOYMENT    0IRCC7OII 


Figure  65.     Specimens  of  Signature  Slips  Used  in  Identi- 
fication of  Employees.     (Size  5x2.) 
As  is  usual  in  banking  houses  and  insurance  offices  when  identification 
systems  are  used,  signature  slips  are  required. 

Avoiding  Friction 

It  is  often  questioned  whether  the  workers  take  kindly 
to  a  system  of  marking  or  identification,  such  as  we  have 
discussed.  If  the  employment  manager  and  the  foremen  take 
time  to  explain  the  reason  for  badges,  the  workmen  are  not 
likely  to  cavil  at  wearing  them.  When  a  man  is  put  to  work 
the  badge  system  excites  his  interest  and  co-operation  rather 
than  his  opposition.  He  cannot  really  feel  that  he  is  being 
"tagged"  when  his  foreman  and  the  higher  shop  executives 


1 86  GETTING   EMPLOYEES 

wear  the  same  insignia.  A  dependable  check  on  the  identity 
of  employees  is  absolutely  necessary;  the  larger  plants  would 
be  hopelessly  confused  in  their  records  without  some  such 
expedient  to  keep  track  of  so  many  men.  A  plan  of  this 
nature  can  be  introduced  quickly  and  without  friction  if  care 
is  taken  to  avoid  offense  in  the  process. 


PART  III 
HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 


CHAPTER  XIII 

LABOR  TURNOVER 

A  Fundamental  Problem 

Labor  turnover  is  the  employment  manager's  fundamental 
problem.  The  excessive  cost  of  inefficient  hiring  and  firing 
was,  indeed,  the  germ  of  the  employment  manager  idea.  The 
possibilities  of  reducing  cost  by  reducing  the  turnover  have 
been  definitely  proved  in  recent  years.  Indeed,  the  results 
have  been  so  excellent  that  a  popular  misconception  has  arisen 
in  some  quarters  that  all  turnover  is  uncalled  for,  and  that 
it  is  desirable  to  have  no  man  leave  a  plant  if  it  is  possible  in 
any  way  to  retain  him. 

An  Authoritative  Statement 

A.  Mulhauser,  Chairman  of  the  Employment  Managers* 
Committee,  Atlantic  Coast  Shipbuilders*  Association,  writing 
in  May,  19 19,  made  an  excellent  summary  of  the  problem 
in  a  pamphlet  entitled  "Principles  of  Labor  Turnover.**  He 
wrote  in  part: 

Labor  Turnover  and  the  Employment  Manager 

Labor  turnover  indicates  the  change  that  occurs  when 
an  employee  enters  and  leaves  the  firm.  Part  of  the  employ- 
ment manager's  important  functions  is  to  investigate  the 
causes  of  labor  turnover  and  to  provide  or  recommend  suit- 
able remedies. 

The  prime  purpose  of  studying  labor  turnover  is  to 
determine  and  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  work  force  and 
the  management  of  the  plant.     Therefore,  labor  turnover 

189 


190  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

can  be  called  a  "yard  stick"  by  which  we  may  measure  the 
value  of  an  employment  manager. 

It  is  generally  supposed  that  labor  turnover  should  always 
be  reduced,  if  possible,  that  the  effort  in  this  direction  should 
be  constant,  and  that  this  task  devolves  primarily  upon  the 
employment  manager.  This  view  often  places  employment 
managers  and  foremen  in  a  false  position,  causing  some  of 
them  to  lose  heart.  Reduct'on  of  labor  turnover  should  not 
be  carried  so  far  that  inefficiency  and  stagnation  would 
result. 

Occasionally  the  best  interests  of  a  department  require 
decided  changes  in  personnel.  Under  such  conditions  the 
employment  manager  and  the  foreman  should  show  sufficient 
courage  to  increase  the  turnover  as  much  as  necessary  in 
order  to  adjust  the  work  force  properly  to  the  highest  and 
best  requirements  of  the  department. 

Causes  of  Labor  Turnover 

The  following  are  some  of  the  fundam^tal  causes  of 
labor  turnover: 

1.  Wrong  selection 

2.  Faulty  supervision 

3.  Objectionable  surroundings  and  working  conditions 

4.  Fluctuating  production 

5.  Poor  attendance 

6.  Incomplete  work  force 

7.  Bad  weather 

8.  Fatigue 

9.  Illness  and  accidents 

10.  Transportation 

11.  Housing 

12.  Hours 

13.  Wages 

14.  Lack  of  advancement 

15.  Unfair  discharge 

Factors  of  Labor  Turnover 

The  proposition  of  labor  turnover  may  be  divided  into 
three  basic  factors: 


LABOR  TURN0^'T:R  191 

1.  The  unit  of  turnover 

2.  The  cycle  of  turnover 

3.  The  percentage  of  turnover 

The  unit  of  turnover  is  the  individual  employee. 

The  cycle  of  turnover  begins  when  the  employee  is  hired 
and  ends  when  he  terminates. 

The  percentage  of  turnover  is  the  ratio  of  all  completed 
cycles  (or  terminations)  to  the  average  number  of  employees 
on  the  pay-roll.  (The  analysis  of  terminations  or  separations 
can  show  "avoidable"  and  "unavoidable"  causes.  Transfers 
can  be  considered  as  departmental  terminations.  These  can 
be  noted  separately  on  a  chart  but  only  the  total  of  all 
terminations  should  appear  in  the  standard  formula.) 

Standard  Formula  for  Labor  Turnover 

L=:Total  of  completed  cycles  or  terminations  (num- 
ber of  employees  who  leave). 
^=The  average  number  on  pay-roll. 
T=The  percentage  of  turnover. 

L  L 

The  ratio  of  L:  A=T ;  or — =T ;  or  r=— 

A  A 

It  is  suggested  that  the  turnover  be  computed  weekly  to 
coincide  with  the  weekly  pay-roll.  The  weekly  turnover 
figure  is  multiplied  by  52  to  obtain  the  annual  turnover. 

This  standard  formula  has  stood  the  test  against  various 
theories,  especially  the  "replacement"  theory  and  the  "at- 
tendance" theory. 

Error  of  the  Replacement  Theory 

The  replacement  theory  was  discarded  years  ago  when 
the  best  practice  in  labor  accounting  was  being  developed, 
although  the  term  "labor  turnover"  had  not  been  coined  at 
that  time. 

Whenever  advocated,  the  replacement  theory  is  usually 
advanced  either  from  the  standpoint  of  production  loss  or 
labor  loss,  the  view  being  that  replacement  is  necessary  for 


192  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

continued  production,  or  that  replacement  is  the  pivot  point 
in  "production  labor"  loss. 

However,  broad  practical  experience  shows  conclusively 
that  replacement  is  not  always  essential  to  continued  produc- 
tion. On  the  contrary,  in  continued  production,  cases  fre- 
quently arise  where  new  production  methods  or  other  changes 
in  organization  cause  employees  to  be  terminated,  with  the 
distinct  proviso  that  no  replacement  should  be  made  in  such 
circumstances. 

In  fact,  no  sound,  consistent,  satisfactory  explanation  of 
the  replacement  theory  has  ever  been  put  forth,  although 
attempts  to  do  so  have  been  made  from  time  to  time. 

Fallacy  of  the  Attendance  Theory 

The  attendance  theory  also  tends  toward  considerable 
confusion  and  misconception. 

The  attempted  use  of  attendance  figures  instead  of  pay- 
roll figures,  for  the  turnover  ratio,  is  erroneous  because: 

1.  Salaried  employees,  although  absent,  must  be  included 
in  our  labor  cost  accounting  whenever  they  are  paid  during 
absence. 

2.  Part  of  the  apparent  loss  of  production  attributed  to 
absenteeism  can  be,  and  frequently  is,  made  up  by  overtime 
work  or  other  extra  effort. 

3.  Where  employees  work  in  pools,  the  absence  of  one 
member  does  not  affect  the  total  cost  or  production  when  the 
work  is  absorbed  by  the  other  members  of  the  pool,  which 
is  usually  the  case. 

4.  Frequently  there  is  large  attendance  with  low  produc- 
tion due  to  unfavorable  weather,  or  delay  in  transfer  of 
material  through  various  operations,  or  other  causes. 
(Weather  conditions  also  interfere  with  attempted  calcula- 
tions for  any  so-called  "standard  work  force.") 

Pay-Roll  Figures 

The  use  of  pay-roll  figures  should  be  based  on  the  active 
pay-roll  instead  of  the  total  pay-roll.  When  an  employee 
terminates,  his  name  should  be  dropped  from  the  active 
pay-roll  although  his  name  might  remain  on  the  total  pay- 


LABOR  TURNOVER  193 

roll  for  months  or  years,  if  he  should  fail  to  draw  the 
balance  of  his  wages. 

Where  two  pay-roll  lists  are  not  used,  the  same  results 
can  be  obtained  by  taking  the  total  number  of  employees 
properly  assigned  to  the  force  report,  even  though  some  of 
them  may  be  absentees. 

Such  procedure  would  remove  a  possible  obstacle  that 
might  otherwise  prevent  some  firms  from  fully  approving 
the  use  of  pay-roll  figures  instead  of  attendance  figures. 

Misleading  Figures 

Most  people  who  theorize  on  employment  work  try  to 
figure  the  cost  of  hiring  and  firing  a  man — and  they  have 
estimated  it  all  the  way  from  $20  to  $300.  The  average  cost 
of  hiring  and  firing  a  person  as  computed  by  the  three  best 
authorities — those  carrying  official  weight  in  employment  work 
— is  approximately  %yy,  $44,  and  $60. 

Such  figures  often  tempt  the  employer  to  strive  for  a  lower 
percentage  of  labor  turnover  than  is  consistent  with  the  highest 
efficiency  of  his  plant.  From  this  tendency  result  the  abuses 
mentioned  by  A.  Mulhauser. 

While  it  is  generally  advantageous,  of  course,  to  reduce 
the  labor  turnover  so  far  as  possible,  there  is  such  a  thing 
as  a  desirable  turnover.  As  a  simple  illustration,  suppose  a 
certain  household  requires  ten  servants  to  keep  it  running 
smoothly  and  properly.  There  is  soon  to  be  a  special  function, 
a  wedding  or  a  birthday  celebration.  Four  additional  servants 
are  needed  to  clean  the  windows,  prepare  the  silverware,  re- 
arrange the  furniture,  and  perform  work  of  the  same  sort., 
The  guests  have  come  and  gone.  The  affair  has  been  a  success. 
The  house  has  been  rearranged  and  is  again  in  normal  condi- 
tion. But  because  the  owner,  in  the  past,  discovered  that  it 
cost,  say  $50,  to  secure  and  release  a  servant,  would  he  hesitate 
to  release  the  extra  four  hired  for  a  definite  period  and  purpose 
because  of  that? 


194  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

Perhaps  two  of  the  temporary  servants  are  worth  retain- 
ing; they  have  proved  excellent  and  efficient  employees,  ex- 
actly the  sort  of  persons  as  he  may  have  been  seeking  for 
unsuccessfully.  In  that  case  he  may  replace  two  of  his  old 
employees  with  the  two  new  servants,  who  are  so  desirable. 
Undoubtedly  the  proceeding  would  be  profitable  and  pru- 
dent. 

Should  he  be  dominated,  however,  by  figures  rather  than 
facts,  he  might  say  to  himself:  *'I  have  fourteen  people  on 
my  pay-roll,  six  of  whom  I  shall  dismiss;  therefore  my  labor 
turnover  will  be  approximately  43  per  cent.  According  to 
my  reckoning,  my  labor  turnover  is  costing  me  tremendously." 
Figured  thus,  the  labor  turnover  seems  excessive.  But  in  his 
case  the  change  is  a  desirable  one  because  the  extra  force 
of  four  is  not  needed,  and  the  two  replacements  were  in  the 
interest  of  securing  better  workers. 

Variations  of  Individual  Turnover  Cost 

It  is  always  dangerous  to  figure  an  average  cost  upon 
which  to  base  the  retention  or  discharge  of  any  workman. 
Different  departments  with  different  machines  and  materials 
involve  varying  costs.  Consequently,  the  individual  turnover 
cost  varies  with  different  departments,  and  even  in  various 
divisions  of  a  single  department. 

Figuring  Accurate  Costs 

Figuring  the  real  cost  of  labor  turnover  is  a  difficult  problem 
requiring  clear  thinking  as  well  as  exact  calculating.  The 
tendency  in  the  past  has  been  too  strongly  toward  taking 
everything  pertaining  to  labor  turnover  and  throwing  it  all 
into  the  same  pot.  As  a  result  of  this  tendency,  much  confu- 
sion about  the  cost  of  labor  turnover  has  existed.  Estimates 
vary  vv^idely,  depending  upon  the  nature  of  the  industry  and 


LABOR   TURNOVER  195 

the  ideas  of  those  making  the  estimates.^  The  following  brief 
summary  by  M.  C  Hobart,  which  appeared  in  the  American 
Machinist  (May  i6,  19 18)  and  was  later  distributed  by  the 
Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Education,  appeals  to  the  author 
as  the  most  concise  and  satisfactory  summary  extant. 

V 

Every  time  a  man  walks  out  of  the  factory,  either  by 
quitting  or  being  discharged,  it  means  a  loss  of  at  least  $40 
to  the  company.  Let  us  spend  a  few  moments  looking  at 
the  figures  in  the  case. 

Our  help-wanted  advertisements  last  year  cost  us  50 
cents  for  each  new  man.  The  time  of  the  employment 
department  and  the  pay-roll  clerk  in  hiring  the  man  and 
entering  his  name  on  our  records  amounted  to  75  cents  for 
each  man.  The  foreman's  time  spent  with  the  new  man 
in  getting  him  properly  started  on  his  work  and  familiar 
with  our  methods  takes,  or  should  take  if  it  is  properly  done, 
at  the  very  least  10  minutes  a  day  for  a  month,  which 
means  $4.50,  plus  the  time  of  some  older  workman  who 
should  be  set  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  new  man  and  help  him 
along,  which  means  an  additional  dollar. 

Next  is  the  wear  and  tear  on  the  machinery — an  im- 
portant item.  As  is  shown  by  our  machinery  and  tool  repair 
account  each  month,  a  man  does  not  have  to  smash  many 
gears  in  the  change  gear  box  of  a  lathe,  or  break  many 
$60  hobs  or  $30  cutters  or  do  any  of  the  other  thousand  and 
one  things  that  a  green  man  does,  to  make  the  cost  of  this 
wear  and  tear  on  machinery  amount  to  an  average  of  $12 
for  each  new  man. 

Then  we  have  the  loss  of  production  owing  to  the  new 
man  not  reaching  the  normal  production  rate  in  from  three 
to  six  weeks.  Deficiency  reports  show  that  this  loss  is  a 
large  one.  For  the  first  two  or  three  days  a  new  man  is 
not  likely  to  do  more  than  half  the  usual  amount  of  work; 
from  this  on  he  improves  until  at  the  end  of  a  month  he 
should  reach  the  standard.  If  he  loses  many  hours  during 
the  first  few  days  he  does  not  have  to  lose  many  in  the 


*  "Turnover   of  Factory   Labor,"  by   S.   H.    Slichter,   Appleton,    19 19,   will   furnish 
more   detailed   discussion   of  this   subject. 


196  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

following  weeks  to  have  lost  30  hours'  time  in  production 
while  he  has  been  breaking  in.  And  30  hours  means,  with 
his  wages  and  overhead,  $25.50. 

And  we  are  not  through  yet.  The  cost  of  work  spoiled 
in  the  shop  during  the  month  of  December  was  over  $600 
and  the  cost  of  correcting  mistakes  was  $1,300,  making  a 
total  of  $1,900  for  the  month. 

Forty  men  werfe  taken  off  the  pay-roll  and  replaced  by 
others  during  that  month,  and  about  the  same  number  for 
November.  This  $1,900  means  $48  apiece  for  each  new 
man  hired  during  December,  and  I  think  you  will  admit 
that  much  of  the  spoilage  and  mistakes  are  due  to  new 
men,  although  not  entirely  so.  Suppose  then  that  we  divide  ^ 
this  figure  by  four  and  call  it  $12. 

Now  we  come  to  the  accidents  and  in'uries,  which  are 
greater  in  number  with  new  men  than  with  older  employees 
and  for  which  $3  is  a  conservative  figure. 

Somewhat  related  to  the  item  f  decreased  production  is 
the  loss  caused  by  maintaining  more  equipment  than  would 
be  necessary  were  it  not  for  this  loss.  On  a  basis  of  10 
per  cent  loss  in  production  on  each  new  man  for  the  first 
month  of  his  work,  and  an  average  of  80  new  men  a  month 
for  last  year,  this  means  that  22  per  cent  of  our  equipment 
is  working  only  90  per  cent  efficient,  so  far  as  time  consumed 
on  the  work  done  by  new  men  is  concerned.  The  interest 
on  this  equipment  at  10  per  cent  a  year  amounts  to  50  cents 
for  each  new  man  hired. 

Let  us  now  see  what  we  have: 

For  advertising $  .50 

For  hiring  and  clerical  work 75 

For  instruction   5.50 

For  wear  and  tear  on  machinery  and  tools. . . .   12.00 

For  loss  of  production 25.50 

For  spoiled  work  and  mistakes. 12.00 

For  accidents  3.00 

For  interest  on  extra  equipment 50 

making  a  total  of  $59.75  as  the  cost  to  place  a  new  man  at 
work,  and  this  is  a  very  conservative  estimate  in  the  light 
of  studies  that  have  been  made  in  industrial  plants  through- 
out the  country. 


LABOR  TURNOVER 


197 


PBESBoaa 


198 


HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 


Advantages  of  Chart  for  Showing  Turnover 

A  word  in  regard  to  employment  statistics.  Dispensing 
with  details  and  a  mass  of  figures  that  consume  time,  the 
chart  or  graph  recommends  itself  to  the  executive  as  the  best 
way  to  picture  employment  conditions.  Reports  in  this  form 
are  not  difficult  to  make;  they  tell  the  whole  story  and  are 


Figure  67.     Percentage  Charts  from  Stability  Records 

This  percentage  chart  shows  a  comparison  of  the  loss  in  working  force  with  the  gain  in 
working  force  for  the  cunent  year.  The  loss  in  force  in  percentage  is  represented  on  the 
chart  in  black  line,  and  is  known  as  the  "labor  turnover.  The  percentage  of  gain  is  in 

red  and  is  called  the  "increase  of  force."  These  lines  begin  with  the  report  for  January 
and  are  added  to,  each  month.  The  necessary  information  is  secured  from  the  turnover 
report.  The  percentages  for  each  month  are  expressed  in  figures  in  the  upper  left-hand 
corner  of  the  chart.  The  dates  are  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  chart.  The  scale  is  lo 
per  cent  to  the  inch  block.  The  chart  shows  instantly  whether  there  has  been  an  increase 
or  loss  in  the  plant  working  force  for  the  month  for  the  current  year. 

quickly  absorbed  by  the  reader.  The  accompanying  charts 
(Figures  66  and  67)  are  fair  samples  of  a  graphic  record, 
and  are  self-explanatory.. 

Two  scales  are  used — 300  men  to  the  block  for  the 
daily  attendance  and  pay-roll,  100  men  to  the  block  for  all 
other  reports. 


LABOR   TURNOVER  199 

The  pay-roll  is  indicated  by  a  green  line  near  the  top 
of  Figure  66.  The  figures  used  in  plotting  this  line  are  secured 
from  the  paymaster  and  indicate  the  number  of  pay  envelopes 
given  to  the  yard  men  each  Saturday.  For  that  reason  there 
is  a  regular  gradation  of  line  from  one  Saturday  to  the  next. 
This  line  begins  with  the  figures  of  the  last  pay-roll  of  the 
preceding  month  and  ends  with  the  last  pay-roll  of  the  current 
month.     Scale  300  men  to  a  block. 

The  figures  from  the  black  daily  attendance  line  are  secured 
from  the  daily  labor  reports.  They  include  both  the  day  and 
night  forces.  As  its  name  implies,  it  fluctuates  from  day  to 
day,  taking  a  decided  drop  on  Sundays.  A  comparison  of 
this  line  with  the  pay-roll  shows  the  approximate  number  of 
daily  absentees.  This  comparison  of  a  daily  with  a  weekly 
record  will  not  be  exact. 

The  terminations  are  shown  in  blue,  the  entrances  in  red. 
These  two  lines  begin  with  the  record  of  the  last  day  of  the 
preceding  month  and  are  changed  daily  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  men  entered  and  terminated  each  day  by  the  employ- 
ment department.  These  lines  usually  follow  each  other  quite 
closely — the  terminations  being  greater  at  the  end  of  the  week, 
the  entrances  at  the  beginning. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
TRAINING  AND  EDUCATIONAL  SUPERVISION 

Lack  of  Training  Facilities 

An  employment  manager  in  a  plant  manufacturing  leather 
goods  was  one  day  walking  through  the  "holster'*  department 
when  he  was  startled  by  the  fainting  of  a  girl  to  whom  the 
foreman  had  just  been  talking.  After  she  had  recovered,  the 
employment  manager  asked  her  why  she  had  fainted. 

*T  have  not  been  able  to  keep  up  with  the  work  today/' 
she  said,  "because  so  many  pieces  are  turned  back  by  the 
inspector.  You  see  I  get  a  cent  for  each  one  of  these  that 
I  sew  on  the  machine,  and  can  make  $3.50  to  $4  a  day  if 
the  work  goes  through  all  right.  But  when  I  make  a  mistake 
or  the  work  is  not  perfect,  it  takes  me  as  long  to  fix  the 
returned  piece  as  it  would  to  sew  twenty  new  ones.  I  lose 
that  much  time  and  become  worn  out  and  discouraged." 

"How  long  did  it  take  you  to  learn  the  operation,  and  who 
taught  you?"  asked  the  employment  manager. 

"No  one  taught  me,  I  was  just  told  to  watch  the  other 
girls  for  a  couple  of  hours  and  then  put  on  the  machine  to 
do  the  work,"  responded  the  girl. 

Investigation  shows  that  the  average  employee  is  not  much 
more  than  35  per  cent  efficient  because  of  his  lack  of  definite 
training.  Rightly  given,  training  enables  a  worker  to  attain 
maximum  production  and  earn  a  maximum  wage.  More  than 
this,  workers  trained  for  the  requirements  of  their  job  by 
actually  performing  the  work  the  job  calls  for,  develop  a  spirit 
of  loyalty  and  interest  in  their  work  that  adds  greatly  to  the 
general  efficiency  of  the  plant. 

200 


EDUCATIONAL   SUPERVISION  20I 

Shortage  of  Skilled  Workers 

The  public  schools,  although  well  equipped  to  prepare 
young  people  for  entrance  to  college,  do  not  afford  the  training 
required  for  the  varied  types  of  work  which  make  up  modern 
industrial  life.  Their  studies  must  be  supplemented  by  appren- 
ticeship courses  or  specialized  training  of  some  sort.  Con- 
tinued shortages  of  men  in  the  highly  skilled  occupations  and 
trades  have  repeatedly  shown  the  necessity  for  more  practical 
education  and  training — available  not  only  to  younger  men, 
but  to  those  who  have  grown  to  middle  life  without  the  chance 
to  acquire  training  that  would  fit  them  for  the  better  kinds 
of  work. 

A  returned  soldier  was  recently  looking  for  work  in  New 
York.  He  was  untrained  in  any  specified  work  and  he  was 
not  particular  about  the  job,  so  long  as  it  paid  a  living  wage. 
Approaching  a  wholesale  jeweler,  he  asked:  "Have  you  a  job 
that  I  could  fill?"  The  employer  inquired  what  he  was  able 
to  do.  Upon  being  informed,  he  shook  his  head  regretfully, 
and  then  add^:  **But  if  you  could  do  what  I  want  done  I 
would  pay  you  $2  an  hour;  I  need  a  skilled  worker  in 
platinum."  The  soldier's  job-hunting  ended  right  there — ^he 
went  up  to  Providence,  a  great  jewelry  center,  to  learn  this 
well-paid  trade. 

The  great  army  of  casual  workers  in  this  country,  estimated 
at  upwards  of  800,000  in  1914,  made  up  of  tramps  and  ne'er- 
do-wells,  owes  its  origin  and  size  mainly  to  two  facts:  the 
lack  of  vocational  guidance  and  training  available  to  youth, 
and  the  irresponsible  attitude  employers  have  taken  in  the 
past  by  neglecting  to  supply  training  and  means  of  acquiring 
trade  and  occupational  proficiency  to  those  in  their  service. 

Training  the  Worker 

Management  must  interest  itself  in  the  supervised  training 
of  employees  if  industry  is  to  utilize  the  ability  of  every 


202  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

worker  in  the  most  effective  way.  Many  employers  have  yet 
to  learn  the  necessity  of  devoting  appropriate  effort  to  this 
important  work.  The  employer  sometimes  says:  **Yes,  when 
I  train  them,  they  become  more  valuable  to  themselves  and 
to  the  other  fellow.  Then  they  want  more  money."  The 
employer  who  reasons  thus  fails  to  realize  that  if  the  trained 
worker  is  worth  more  money  "to  the  other  fellow,"  he  is 
worth  more  to  him  also. 

The  average  person  can  develop  into  a  useful  and  some- 
times creative  unit  by  right  guidance,  instruction,  and  training ; 
indeed,  a  well-founded  system  of  training,  conducted,  assisted, 
and  supervised  by  the  management,  is  the  only  effective  means 
of  enabling  the  employee  to  render  his  best  service.  To  estab- 
lish such  a  system  is  the  best  solution  for  insufficient  produc- 
tion. An  experiment  along  this  line  in  almost  any  factory 
will  prove  such  a  stimulus  to  output  and  to  contentment  among 
the  workers,  as  to  warrant  a  more  complete  development  of 
the  idea. 

The  difference  in  the  efficiency  of  workers  who  have  been 
trained  by  careful  instruction,  and  those  who  have  just  learned 
"by  looking  on  and  doing  likewise,"  is  50  per  cent  in  favor  of 
those  instructed.  Wrong  working  habits  are  often  the  result 
of  not  being  shown.  Witness  the  difference  between  the  typist 
who  has  learned  the  touch'  system,  using  every  finger  with  ease 
and  deftness,  and  the  typist  who  has  learned  by  the  "hunt-and- 
plunk"  method,  and  spends  most  of  the  time  keeping  the 
fingers  which  are  not  in  use  from  interfering  with  those 
that  are. 

Methods  of  Training 

The  chief  methods  of  efiFective  industrial  training  within 
a  plant  consist  of  apprenticeship  schools,  separate  training 
departments,  and  the  assignment  of  particular  machines  for 
training  purposes.     Co-operative  training  among  plants,  and 


EDtrCAtlOiSTAL   SUPERVISION  203 

by    night    schools,     lectures,     correspondence    schools,    and 
libraries,  are  effective  outside-of-the-plant  methods. 

The  systems  of  instruction,  and  the  training  given,  must 
vary  in  individual  plants  since  requirements  differ  widely  in 
practically  every  industry.  In  any  plant,  however,  the  follow- 
ing three  initial  steps  will  facilitate  the  installation  of  a  well- 
ordered  training  system. 

1.  An  instruction  committee  should  be  formed  to  study 
and  verify  the  specifications  and  requirements  of  jobs  that  are 
to  be  taught.  The  committee  should  be  composed  of  a  super- 
intendent of  instruction,  the  employment  manager,  the  shop 
superintendent,  several  foremen,  and  one  or  more  efficient 
employees  from  each  department. 

2.  This  committee  should  determine  the  best  method  of 
analyzing  the  elements  of  each  job,  estimating  the  time  re- 
quired to  learn  the  task,  and  the  best  method  of  performance. 

3.  Those  workers  'already  engaged  on  the  jobs  being 
analyzed  may  be  encouraged  to  submit  ideas. 

The  data  compiled  by  this  group  should  then  "oe  analyzed, 
verified,  and  finally  reduced  to  "written  standard  practice  in- 
structions." From  these,  a  systematized  course  of  training 
specially  designed  to  fit  the  needs  of  the  particular  plant  may 
be  put  into  operation. 

Scope  of  Training 

Training  should  be  provided  for  both  the  new  and  the 
old  employees,  and  for  the  older  as  well  as  the  young  man. 
Perhaps  the  most  important  phase  of  industrial  training  is 
that  which  appeals  primarily  to  the  young  man — apprentice 
training — but  the  other  phases  should  not  be  neglected. 

Apprentice  Training 

No  form  of  instruction  is  quite  as  effective  as  apprentice 
training.     Industrial  training  is  good  for  specialized  opera- 


^o4  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

tions,  but  it  is  not  a  complete  nor  an  adequate  means  of 
developing  the  great  number  of  skilled  tradesmen  that  form 
the  backbone  of  industry.  A  regularly  established  apprentice 
course  in  any  industry  or  in  co-operation  with  other  agencies, 
or  lines  of  work,  is  the  most  useful  method  of  industrial 
education. 

In  such  courses,  the  first  consideration  is  to  discover  the 
aptitude  of  the  applicant,  for  he  is  to  spend  several  of  the 
best  years  of  his  life  in  this  endeavor.  His  natural  aptitudes 
may  be  disclosed  by  referring  to  his  school  record,  his  previous 
employment,  his  parents'  recommendations,  and  his  own 
natural  inclinations.  This  information  may  be  supplemented 
by  tests  and  trials.  Shopwork  and  classroom  instruction, 
either  at  the  plant  or  in  technical  schools,  give  the  apprentice 
both  practice  and  theory  in  all  branches.  Although  the  pay 
for  apprentices  is  usually  nominal,  a  cash  bonus  is  frequently 
offered,  payable  on  the  completion  of  the  course;  and  such  an 
offer  stimulates  interest  and  incites  perseverance. 

Special  Training  Systems 

The  most  practical  and  satisfactory  method  of  handlmg 
the  training  work  is  to  establish  a  separate  training  depart- 
ment, under  the  direction  of  a  superintendent  of  instruction. 
Where  this  is  not  practicable  because  of  the  size  of  machines 
or  lack  of  floor  space,  certain  machines  throughout  the  plant 
may  be  set  aside  when  not  in  operation  on  regular  production, 
and  used  for  instruction  purposes. 

Merging  with  Public  Agencies 

If  the  factory  is  not  large  enough  or  the  character  of  the 
work  does  not  offer  sufficient  opportunity  for  such  training 
systems  as  have  been  mentioned,  employers  in  the  same  in- 
dustry and  same  locality  might  advantageously  merge  their 
efforts.     They  might,  in  this  manner,  conduct  a  co-operative 


EDUCATIONAL   SUPERVISION  20$ 

course  of  instruction  in  a  public  school  or  in  a  separate  estab- 
lishment, and  thus  provide  a  clearing-house  for  industrial 
training.  Again,  courses  in  public  or  private  schools  may  be 
arranged  to  train  the  employees  of  a  plant,  either  on  company 
time  or  outside  of  working  hours. 

Training  Old  Employees 

Training  and  industrial  opportunities  should  be  available 
to  old  employees  as  well  as  new.  When  it  is  announced  that 
the  company  will  provide  the  means  for  increasing  an  em- 
ployee's skill  along  lines  that  appeal  to  his  capabilities,  a 
change  is  apparent  in  the  man  from  whom  want  of  training 
has  cut  off  opportunity  for  advancement.  Though  handicapped 
by  years,  he  is  encouraged  to  find  that  the  facilities  are  now 
at  hand  to  realize  the  best  of  which  he  is  capable.  By  thus 
upgrading  employees,  industrial  training  holds  forth  possibili- 
ties that  promise  returns  of  great  value. 

Americanization 

The  words  "naturalization"  and  "Americanization"  are  not 
synonymous.  Naturalization  is  merely  the  outward  evidence 
of  a  man's  inner  loyalty  to  and  belief  in  American  ideals;  and 
should  follow — ^not  precede — ^his  adherence  to  the  truth  of 
these  ideals  and  beliefs.  A  man  can  be  forced  to  become 
naturalized,  but  he  must  be  "sold'*  the  idea  of  Americanism 
if  he  is  to  become  a  useful  citizen,  rather  than  a  mere  tool 
of  unscrupulous  politicians. 

Thus  the  problem  of  Americanization,  so  real  to  American 
industry  today,  is  a  far  more  complex  problem  than  that  of 
getting  the  alien  naturalized. 

English  for  Foreigners 

The  first  step  in  an  effective  program  of  Americanization 
must  be  to  teach  the  foreigner  our  language.    The  completion 


206  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

of  this  initial  step  not  only  starts  him  well  on  his  v/ay  toward 
real  citizenship,  but  makes  him  a  far  more  efficient  workman 
as  well. 

Instruction  in  English  may  be  given  at  the  plant,  or  in 
the  public  schools  in  co-operation  with  the  local  board  of 
education.  The  average  foreigner  is  not  sufficiently  interested 
to  study  English  unless  instruction  is  given  on  the  company's 
time.  In  one  plant,  for  instance,  when  foreigners  failed  to 
appear  in  the  night  classes,  attempts  were  made  to  hold  classes 
an  hour  before  quitting  time,  once  or  twice  a  week.  This 
also  proved  unsatisfactory  because  the  men  were  tired  and 
anxious  to  go  home.  To  overcome  this  lack  of  interest,  a 
bonus  of  2  cents  an  hour  was  offered  to  those  pursuing  and 
finishing  the  entire  night  course.  An  additional  bonus  of 
I  cent  an  hour  was  offered  to  those  whose  attendance  record 
was  perfect.  It  was  also  made  known  that  those  who  success- 
fully finished  would  be  considered  first  for  promotion  and  held 
longest  in  case  of  ''layoffs." 

Where  the  worker  does  not  speak  English  and  does  not 
want  to  learn,  it  is  assumed  by  some  employers  that  his 
residence  in  this  country  is  but  temporary,  and  for  that  reason 
his  permanency  of  employment  is  affected.  This  is  not  always 
true,  however,  because  the  worker  may  be  of  a  clannish  race 
and  feel  that  the  time  spent  in  learning  English  is  wasted, 
besides  tending  to  estrange  him  from  his  associates. 

There  will  usually  be  found  among  foreigners  in  a  plant 
one  or  more  who  can  influence  their  fellows  of  the  same 
nationality.  Special  efforts  should  be  exerted  to  induce  such 
men  to  attend  the  English  classes.  The  example  set  will  en- 
courage the  others,  until  gradually  the  school  habit  will  be 
implanted.  Those  who  have  children  attending  school  are 
more  likely  to  be  interested  in  attending  the  English  classes 
than  those  who  have  not ;  for  they  will  not  want  to  be  outdone 
by  their  children. 


EDUCATIONAL  SUPERVISION  207 

Practical  Instruction 

An  excellent  guide  to  the  establishment  of  a  training 
department  which  lays  the  foundation  for  an  Americanization 
program  is  found  in  the  report  recently  published  by  Director 
C.  T.  Clayton  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Labor's 
Training  Service.  The  important  parts  of  this  report  will  be 
found  in  Appendix  B. 

Appendix  C  contains  a  paper,  "Instructions  to  Insure 
Americanization  of  Aliens"  presented  by  A.  H.  Wyman  of 
the  Carnegie  Steel  Company,  before  the  Special  Committee 
on  Unskilled  Labor  and  Americanization.  It  contains  com- 
prehensive information  concerning  practical  methods  of 
furthering  educational  work  among  non-English-speaking 
foreigners. 

The  Instructors 

One  of  the  most  important  factors  in  any  training  system 
is  the  corps  of  instructors.  These  special  instructors  may 
be  chosen  from  among  the  subforemen  or  werkers  who  are 
especially  qualified  to  teach,  because  of  their  jobs  and  their 
demonstrated  ability  to  impart  their  knowledge  to  others. 

The  instructor's  relationship  to  the  new  employee  will 
enable  him  to  render  a  real  service  both  to  the  management 
and  to  the  newcomer.  He  should  consider  the  new  employee 
as  a  special  charge  until  the  latter  has  reached  a  certain 
standard  of  performance.  In  addition  to  the  knowledge  gained 
by  actual  work  on  production,  the  learner  should  be  furnished, 
if  necessary,  with  a  written  outline  of  study,  including  sketches, 
designs,  and  directions  for  manipulation. 

The  instructor's  close  contact  with  learners  renders  him 
competent  to  judge  of  the  causes  of  failures.  It  may  be  dis- 
covered that  a  new  employee's  inability  to  become  proficient 
is  owing  to  physical  condition,  home  worries,  or  to  his  relation 
to  other  workmen.     In  any  case,  the  instructor  should  make 


208  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

the  period  of  training  as  interesting  and  agreeable  as  possible 
to  those  under  his  charge. 

Training  and  the  Employment  Department 

In  the  average  plant  the  employment  department  is  the 
logical  supervisor  of  educational  work.  In  large  plants,  the 
work  may  become  so  important  that  it  should  be  placed  in 
the  hands  of  an  educational  director  who  may,  or  may  not, 
be  responsible  to  the  employment  manager.  However 
arranged,  the  problem  of  training  is  so  closely  linked  with 
labor  turnover  that  the  employment  manager  must  be  concerned 
largely  in  its  work. 

The  employment  department  should  be  notified  of  the  rate 
of  progress.  If  the  learner  does  not  show  satisfactory 
progress  as  indicated  by  his  record,  he  may  be  either  trans- 
ferred or  dismissed,  in  accordance  with  the  agreement  reached 
between  the  supervisor  and  the  employment  manager.  Ex- 
perience has  shown  that  a  new  employee  who  has  failed  to 
learn  a  job  in  the  required  time  may  prove  an  unusually  apt 
pupil  on  another  operation ;  hence  a  transfer  may  be  considered 
beneficial  or  a  trial  period  say  of  two  or  even  three  months, 
may  be  arranged,  during  which  time  the  new  employee  may 
have  an  opportunity  to  demonstrate  his  ability  or  fitness  for 
one  of  several  operations. 

General  Educational  Advantages 

General  educational  advantages  such  as  are  afforded  by 
a  well-stocked  library  containing  current  trade  journals  as 
well  as  books  of  reference  on  the  particular  line  of  manu- 
facture pursued,  should  be  available  to  all  employees.  They 
should  be  encouraged  to  read  fiction,  for  it  develops  construc- 
tive imagination,  and  also  to  read  travel  and  biography. 

The  library  may  be  located  in  the  employment  office  and 
the  books  given  out  by  the  card  system.    This  puts  the  employ- 


EDUCATIONAL   SUPERVISION  209 

ment  manager  in  close  touch  with  the  employees  who  are 
availing  themselves  of  the  library  privilege.  By  drawing  them 
out  along  the  line  of  their  reading,  he  may  discover  in  certain 
employees  special  aptitudes  that  would  be  of  service  in 
directing  their  efforts. 

Classes  may  be  arranged  for  the  study  of  principles  of 
efficiency,  production,  administration,  and  foremanship.  Lec- 
turers may  be  brought  in  from  the  outside,  and  members  of 
the  staff  may  speak  to  the  classes.  Authoritative  text-books 
and  special  courses  should  be  used  as  a  basis  for  instruction 
and  the  employment  manager  may  assist  employees  to  choose 
courses  of  study  given  by  correspondence  schools. 

Conferences  and  meetings  among  foremen  and  workers 
for  the  discussion  of  problems  and  methods  of  general  im- 
provement for  the  individual,  as  well  as  the  organization  as 
a  whole,  may  be  conducted  under  the  supervision  of  the 
employment  manager.  When  practicable,  visits  to  other  plants 
for  foremen  and  specially  qualified  workers,  to  study  condi- 
tions and  methods,  should  be  utilized  as  a  source  of  further 
education. 

Employees  have  been  inclined  in  the  past  to  think  that 
nothing  more  than  manual  dexterity  is  required  in  a  worker. 
But  mental  exercise  supplies  him  with  the  necessary  balance 
that  physical  exercise  furnishes  the  mental  worker.  The 
mental  stimulus  afforded  by  educational  opportunities  makes 
the  entire  force  more  intelligent,  reliable,  and  efficient.^ 


'  For  an  exhaustive   study   of  the  topics  touched  on  in  this  chapter,   see  R.  W. 
Kelly  s  "Training  the  Industrial   Worker,"   Ronald   Press  Company,    1920. 


CHAPTER  XV 

MONEY  PAYMENTS 

Importance  of  Wages 

Wages  alone  do  not  constitute  the  summum  bonum  of  a 
worker's  happiness  and  well-being.  Good  working  conditions, 
congeniality  of  fellow-workers,  and  personality  of  foremen, 
bulk  large  in  the  reckoning.  It  is  undeniable,  however,  that 
the  greatest  incentive  to  enthusiastic  work  is  the  almighty 
dollar.  The  payment  of  an  adequate  wage  is  the  panacea 
for  nearly  all  employment  disturbances ;  it  is  the  basic  remedy 
for  labor  turnover. 

That  **the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire"  is  conceded^ 
Whatever  differences  of  opinion  there  may  be  as  to  methods 
of  wage  payment,  the  payment  of  adequate  wages  determined 
by  fair  means  is  accepted  by  employers  as  an  undisputed 
obligation  on  their  part.  In  providing  for  such  payment,  all 
elements  entering  into  a  job  have  a  bearing  on  the  settlement. 
The  unattractive  jobs,  which,  more  often  than  not,  are  in 
the  unskilled  or  semiskilled  category,  can  frequently  be  made 
more  agreeable  by  improving  the  physical  surroundings.  But 
if  the  wage  paid  is  more  than  on  other  jobs  which  require 
no  more  skill,  but  are  more  congenial,  the  stability  of  workers 
will  be  materially  strengthened. 

The  turnover  in  one  department  of  a  certain  plant,  for 
instance,  was  very  high  because  of  the  disagreeable  conditions 
surrounding  many  of  the  jobs.  The  atmosphere  was  hot  and 
moist  and  the  men  worked  in  the  vicinity  of  acids;  yet  the 
pay  was  no  higher  than  for  other  jobs  which  were  more 
agreeable  and  less  dangerous.     Many  employees  requested 

210 


MONEY   PAYMENTS  211 

transfers  to  other  departments  where  the  pay  was  equally 
high  and  the  work  more  pleasant ;  many  others  threatened  to 
quit.  Various  expedients  were  tried  to  make  the  men  satisfied ; 
but  the  only  permanent  solution  was  a  raise  in  rates. 

"What  does  the  job  pay?"  is  the  first  question  asked  by 
an  applicant.  When  reasons  for  lefaving  the  plant  are  analyzed 
and  classified,  it  will  be  found  that  a  large  percentage  of  them 
fall  under  the  item,  "getting  more  money  elsewhere." 

Adjusting  Wage  Inequalities 

The  first  step  in  adjusting  wage  inequalities  is  to  establish 
a  relative  wage  tabulation.  This  tabulation  shows  the  respec- 
tive values  to  the  organization  of  each  of  the  job  elements, 
and  may  be  founded  upon  the  job  analyses  already  prepared. 
A  relative  wage  scale  is  then  prepared  and  used  as  a  basis 
for  adjustment  of  rates  in  all  lines  of  work.  The  job  specifica- 
tion sheets  will  be  found  very  helpful  in  preparing  this  scale. 
This  is  the  work  of  a  professional  rate-setter,  and  is  too 
technical  to  be  discussed  here  in  detail. 

As  a  result  of  such  investigation  surprising  differences  in 
pay  for  jobs  of  a  similar  nature  scattered  throughout  a  plant 
will  probably  be  disclosed.  Such  errors  can  be  righted  and 
wrongs  corrected.  This  relative  wage  procedure  may  be  fol- 
lowed in  theory  by  any  organization,  in  any  industry. 

Rate  Records 

Full  schedules  of  rates  and  all  current  information  regard- 
ing wages  must  be  available  for  reference  in  the  employment 
office.  Where  piece  rates  are  concerned,  averages  should  be 
noted  and  the  figures  supplied  to  supplement  other  information. 

Automatic  Increases  in  Rate 

It  is  worth  while  to  watch  closely  for  the  opportune 
moment,  as  shown  by  the  follow-up  records,  to  raise  a  worker's 


212  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

wages,  and  that  no  man  may  be  overlooked,  a  recheck  of 
reports  and  records  is  advisable.  Anticipating  an  employee's 
request  for  promotion  is  good  diplomacy  on  the  part  of  an 
employer.  An  unexpected  increase  in  wages  renews  a  work- 
man's interest  and  enthusiasm.  The  company's  appreciation 
of  his  efforts  convinces  him  that  the  data  constantly  gathered 
by  the  foremen  and  the  employment  office  are  something  more 
than  mere  statistical  compilations — that  it  was  by  these  his 
worth  was  revealed. 

The  automatic  increase  is  recommended  as  a  reward  accru- 
ing to  all  who  demonstrate  their  value  after  a  trial.  It  gives 
the  employee  a  more  tangible  object  for  which  to  strive.  Some 
firms  review  the  pay-roll  records  every  third  or  fourth  pay- 
day of  an  employee's  first  six  months  to  check  up  those  em- 
ployees who  have  not  received  the  customary  raises,  since  their 
policy  makes  it  possible  for  new  employees  to  increase  their 
earnings  periodically  by  proper  behavior  and  effort.  Foremen 
are  taken  to  task  for  overlooking  those  employees  who  merit 
rewards. 

Another  variation  in  the  scheme  of  wage  adjustments  in- 
volves the  setting  of  a  maximum  rate  on  each  job  towards 
which  the  worker  can  strive.  If  a  worker  stays  six  months, 
for  instance,  and  proves  fit  on  his  job,  he  should  be  given  the 
maximum  wages. 

Granting  Requested  Increases 

Increases  to  be  made  upon  request  of  workmen,  should 
be  granted  only  after  the  fullest  investigation  and  upon  the 
approval  of  the  superintendent,  works  manager,  or  other 
executive.  If  the  advance  is  not  approved,  however,  the 
worker  is  entitled  to  know  the  reason.  Therefore,  in  discussing 
raises  with  employees,  fulfilment  must  be  consistent  with 
promises.  Suppose  for  instance,  a  man  is  given  a  job  at  40 
cents  an  hour  and  promised  48  cents  if  he  makes  good.     He 


MONEY  PAYMENTS  213 

does  make  good,  and  is  neglected.  He  quits.  The  rate  stated 
on  the  foreman's  requisition  (which  the  employment  depart- 
ment uses  as  a  promise  to  workers)  must  substantially  agree 
with  the  amount  in  the  pay  envelope. 

Reduction  in  Rates 

Changes  of  rates  always  require  delicate  handling,  particu- 
larly if  they  affect  a  man's  earning  power  adversely. 

Rates  should  always  be  graded  upward.  It  is  difficult  to 
hold  men  whose  rates  have  been  reduced,  whether  the  reduc- 
tion is  a  matter  of  necessity  or  not.  A  worker  may  prove 
unfit  for  a  job  that  pays  a  certain  rate,  and  be  transferred 
to  another  carrying  lower  pay;  the  working  hours  may  be 
reduced  from  54  to  48  hours  weekly,  and  the  pay  in  propor- 
tion; the  nature  of  the  job  may  be  such  that  the  worker 
will  complete  the  daily  task  considerably  within  the  appointed 
working  hours.  Any  one  of  these  circumstances  may  cause 
a  reduction  in  earnings.  As  a  result,  the  worker  becomes 
seriously  dissatisfied  and  inclined  to  look  for  work  elsewhere 
even  though  remuneration  on  the  new  job  may  be  no  higher 
than  that  to  which  he  has  been  reduced.  Again,  a  worker 
temporarily  transferred  to  a  job  paying  a  lower  rate,  may 
prefer  to  "lay  off"  rather  than  accept  it. 

If  piece  rates  are  faulty  and  a  downward  revision  is  neces- 
sary, trouble  is  certain  to  be  encountered.  The  reasons  for 
the  revision  must  be  carefully  explained  to  the  workman.  If 
a  valuable  man  refuses  to  continue  work  at  the  low  rates, 
he  may  be  transferred  to  another  job  where  ultimately  he 
will  be  able  to  attain  a  higher  status  and  a  more  satisfactory 
rate. 

Constructive  Planning 

Diversified  training  and  forehanded  planning,  however, 
should  provide  opportunities  for  workers,  so  that  their  services 


214  HOLDING  EMPLOYEES 

may  be  utilized  at  the  accustomed  rate  when  conditions  of 
the  above-mentoned  nature  develop.  Investigations  in  various 
industries  have  suggested  the  feasibility  of  ''layoffs"  in 
preference  to  subjecting  the  worker  to  a  partial  wage  on 
account  of  fluctuation  or  lessening  production. 

Shortages  in  Pay 

Shortage  in  pay  causes  discontent.  It  is  frequently  the 
result  of  faulty  or  careless  bookkeeping,  or  the  failure  to 
have  all  necessary  data  in  the  paymaster's  department.  Al- 
though the  item  is  relatively  small,  it  arouses  suspicion  in  the 
mind  of  the  employee.  If  of  frequent  occurrence,  it  may 
cause  a  worker  to  leave. 

Imposing  Penalties 

Many  plants  dock  a  man  an  hour's  pay  when  he  is  late 
only  one  minute.  This  is  not  fair  and  is  detrimental  to  the 
plant  in  the  long  run. 

An  employment  manager  while  on  his  way  to  his  place 
of  business  one  morning  overheard  a  conversation  between 
two  men  who  worked  in  a  plant  with  which  he  was  acquainted. 
Said  one  to  the  other:  *'Why  should  I  lose  an  hour  because 
this  car  is  a  few  minutes  behind  its  schedule?  We  might 
as  well  turn  back."  His  companion  agreed,  and  they  both 
got  off  the  car  and  returned  home.  This  resulted  in  a  loss 
to  the  firm  as  well  as  to  the  men.  The  company  subsequently 
inaugurated  a  "minute  plan,"  which  provided  for  a  system 
of  penalties  by  the  quarter  hour. 

Whatever  system  of  docking  is  adopted,  some  latitude 
should  remain  with  the  foreman  and  the  employment  depart- 
ment in  the  imposing  of  penalties;  for  frequently  the  ex- 
tenuating circumstances  are  so  evident  as  to  excuse  the  tardi- 
ness. Although  the  penalty  system  may  recommend  itself  to 
some  employers,  reward  is  more  effectual  than  punishment. 


MONEY   PAYMENTS  21$ 

A  bonus  system  for  punctuality  and  attendance  furnishes  a 
better  solution  than  a  docking  system. 

Disparity  in  Wages 

Placing  together  workmen  between  whom  there  is  a  great 
disparity  in  wages,  causes  trouble,  especially  if  they  are  doing 
similar  work;  and  the  same  is  true  where  one  man  earns  a 
high  wage  and  another  a  low  one,  unless  there  is  some  reason 
for  it  other  than  the  difference  in  skill  and  speed.  The  man 
who  earns  a  low  wage  naturally  feels  that  he  cannot  do  himself 
justice  on  that  job.  Instead  of  striving  to  attain  the  proficiency 
of  his  co-worker,  he  gives  up  in  despair.  If,  however,  he  is 
put  alongside  a  man  whose  wage  is  but  a  trifle  higher  than 
his  own.  he  is  encouraged  to  attain  similar  speed  and  skill. 

Advances  Against  Wages 

A  certain  class  of  improvident  and  irresponsible  workers, 
especially  the  casual  type,  never  have  sufficient  money  on  hand 
to  take  care  of  even  their  immediate  needs  or  wants.  '*Do 
you  give  a  drag?"  is  the  usual  question  put  to  the  interviewer 
by  this  type.  By  a  "drag"  is  meant  a  daily  allowance  of  part 
of  the  pay,  25  per  cent,  50  per  cent,  or  as  high  as  90  per 
cent  of  the  daily  earnings  being  paid  at  the  end  of  each 
working  day  usually  for  the  first  week  or  two. 

This  practice  is  undesirable  under  normal  conditions.  It 
causes  undue  hardship  to  the  pay-roll  department.  But  in 
instances  where  the  need  is  genuine  and  the  worker  worthy, 
as  he  frequently  is,  the  granting  of  advances  has  proved  the 
means  of  permanently  tying  a  good  man  to  the  concern.  Many 
foremen  and  employment  managers  have  taken  it  upon  them- 
selves to  furnish  advances  in  cases  of  merit.  A  certain  fore- 
man tells  of  a  man  to  whom  he  advanced  $12,  and  also 
furnished  him  with  lunch.  The  result  of  this  kindly  act 
secured  the  loyalty  of  the  worker  for  all  time.    Such  requests, 


2l6  HOLDING  EMPLOYEES 

however,  should  be  granted  only  after  careful  investigation 
which  gives  a  check  on  their  frequency  and  reasonableness. 
(See  Figure  36,  page  87.)  On  the  other  hand  requests  for 
money  to  alleviate  sickness,  or  meet  the  pressure  of  debts, 
etc.,  sometimes  justify  making  exceptions  in  favor  of  the 
applicant.  Such  grants  are  appreciated  by  the  workman  and 
help  to  create  good  feeling. 

House  rents  and  board  bills  may  be  guaranteed  if  the 
need  is  especially  urgent.  Men  have  done  things  to  bring 
about  their  discharge,  merely  to  get  their  pay  in  full  in  order 
that  they  might  keep  from  going  hungry. 

Liquidating  Debts  and  Buying  Homes 

The  employment  department,  in  its  close  contact  with  men, 
meets  many  victims  of  the  ''loan  shark"  and  the  conscienceless 
instalment  house.  A  helping  hand  is  sometimes  needed  to 
rescue  the  worker  from  what  becomes  virtual  slavery.  For 
men  in  that  position  a  plan  of  redemption  should  be  instituted, 
whereby  the  firm  takes  over  the  indebtedness,  deducting  the 
actual  amount  in  small  payments  from  the  worker's  pay. 

A  practical  method  of  financial  assistance  in  buying  homes 
exerts  a  stabilizing  influence  on  workers  and  safeguards  them 
from  exploitation.  The  owning  of  a  home  is  one  of  life's 
chief  ambitions  in  the  normal  man;  it  gives  him  a  standing 
in  the  community,  a  "stake"  in  the  town,  and  something  definite 
upon  which  to  build  a  lifelong  habit  of  saving.  (See  Chapter 
XXX.) 


CHAPTER  XVI 

TRANSFERS 

The  Importance  of  Transfers 

The  transferring  of  men  from  one  department  to  another 
is  a  subject  of  great  importance,  which  is  too  often  treated 
with  indifference.  Because  a  man  does  not  show  adaptability 
for  the  thing  he  is  doing  does  not  argue  that  he  is  unfitted 
for  anything  at  all.  Perhaps  he  dislikes  the  character  of  his 
work;  perhaps  he  is  not  physically  or  mentally  equipped  to 
cope  with  it;  perhaps  he  has  not  the  skill  or  experience  re- 
quired. Or  again,  perhaps  a  man  does  not  get  along  well 
with  the  other  men  in  his  department,  but  feels  that  he  could 
agree  excellently  with  the  men  of  some  other  department. 
These  are  all  valid  reasons  why  a  man  should  ask  for  and 
expect  a  transfer. 

Conserving  Ability  Through  Transfer 

The  Salvation  Army  says,  "A  man  may  be  down,  but  he 
is  never  out,"  and  proceeds  to  prove  it  by  restoring  the  victims 
of  drink  and  vice  to  self-respecting  usefulness.  The  employ- 
ment manager  may  start  many  a  man  along  the  path  of  greater 
service  by  utilizing  the  interest-inspiring  expedient  of  a  change 
of  environment  and  work.  Discharging  an  employee,  although 
sometimes  necessary,  is  a  poor  substitute  for  the  constructive 
remedy  afforded  through  transfer.  "There  is  so  much  good 
in  the  worst  of  us"  which  can  be  brought  out  by  the  right 
stimulus  and  management  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  estimate 
the  employment  department's  opportunities  for  good  in  the 

217 


2l8  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

matter  of  transfers  alone.  But  cognizance  must  be  taken  of 
every  item  concerning  history,  experience,  education,  and  apti- 
tudes to  judge  how  to  encourage  development  and  progress 
on  the  part  of  each  employee. 

Its  Benefits  to  Firm  and  Workers 

If  a  man's  task  is  monotonous  and  he  feels  that  a  change 
would  benefit  him  (as  a  young  man  very  often  will),  or  if 
he  is  anxious  to  rise  to  a  better  position  for  which  he  has 
fitted  himself  by  observation,  practice,  and  study — ^he  is  doing 
a  very  natural  and  a  very  laudable  thing. 

It  is  nearly  always  better  to  save  a  man  to  the  firm  by 
transferring  him  to  another  department.  Consider  what  hap- 
pens if  he  leaves  outright.  Two  men  must  be  supplied  and 
trained — one  for  the  job  to  which  he  should  have  been  trans- 
ferred when  the  vacancy  occurred,  and  one  to  the  job  he  left. 

If  a  man  is  transferred  he  learns  the  work  of  other  depart- 
ments and  can  be  sent  back  temporarily  to  a  department  where 
he  has  proved  particularly  efificient  in  the  event  of  a  shortage 
of  men,  rush  work,  or  other  emergency  in  that  department. 
A  man  of  comparatively  little  value  in  one  department  may 
prove  to  be  a  very  real  asset  to  the  company  in  another.  His 
misplacement  was  probably  not  his  own  fault  at  all.  It  may 
be  owing  to  the  faulty  judgment  of  the  man  who  hired  him 
or  to  his  own  unconscious  misrepresentation  of  himself.  But 
no  matter  whose  the  fault,  there  is  no  need  to  dispense  with 
him  altogether;  there  may  be  many  corners  into  which  he 
will  fit. 

Transfer  Function  of  Employment  Manager 

The  duty  of  the  employment  manager  is  to  assist  in  so 
adjusting  the  personnel  that  each  man's  abilities  are  given  full- 
est expression.  It  cannot  be  maintained  that  he  should  take 
action  on  transfers  without  consulting  the  department  heads ; 


TRANSFERS  219 

nevertheless,  he  should  be  the  intermediary  and  the  final  judge 
in  all  cases  that  concern  personnel  transfer.  Centralization  of 
personnel  work  carries  with  it  the  ultimate  decision.  Where 
transfers  are  concerned  the  advantages  of  centralizing,  the 
function  may  be  set  forth  thus: 

1.  All  data  and  records  concerning  each  employee  are  avail- 
able to  the  employment  manager. 

2.  The  employment  manager  is  the  referee  between  the 
employee  and  his  supervisor. 

3.  Unlimited  opportunity  is  afforded  the  employment  man- 
ager to  ascertain  all  department  requirements,  and  to  match 
individuals  therewith. 

4.  The  employment  manager  has  specifications  of  all  posi- 
tions at  hand. 

5.  The  employment  manager  is  acquainted  with  executives 
and  supervisors  in  all  sections  of  the  organization. 

6.  The  employment  manager  may  utilize  surpluses  in  one 
place  to  fill  shortages  in  another. 

The  Attitude  of  Foremen  Towards  Transfers 

Unfortunately,  some  department  heads  are  very  reluctant 
to  relinquish  the  right  of  transfer  and  to  delegate  it  to  the 
employment  department.  They  cling  to  that  prerogative  with 
greater  tenacity  than  to  any  other.  Recently  in  a  certain  plant 
it  was  agreed  to  place  the  power  of  discharge  with  the  employ- 
ment department.  The  question  of  transfer  immediately 
became  a  rock  on  which  the  harmony  of  the  plant  threatened 
to  split.  The  foremen  refused  to  accept  men  recommended 
for  discharge  from  other  departments,  because  discharges 
were  regarded  in  the  light  of  transfers.  The  object  of  the 
foreman's  refusal  to  accept  men  so  recommended,  was  to 
show  their  loyalty  to  the  foreman  who  made  the  recommenda- 
tion for  discharge.  And  the  latter  would  do  the  same  for  any 
other  foreman. 


220  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

Common  Objections  to  Transfers 

Among  the  chief  objections  to  transfers  which  the  employ- 
ment manager  must  be  prepared  to  meet,  are  the  following: 

1.  If  it  becomes  known  in  a  plant  (so  say  the  foremen) 
that  men  are  seldom  discharged,  but  are  only  suspended  and 
subsequently  transferred  to  other  departments,  employees,  who 
desire  for  various  reasons  to  effect  changes  in  their  environ- 
ment, will  endeavor  to  obtain  transfers  by  making  themselves 
disagreeable  to  their  comrades  and  foremen,  or  by  performing 
their  work  in  an  inefficient  manner. 

2.  A  workman  may  ask  for  a  transfer  because  of  a  mere 
whim,  because  of  the  alleged  advantages  to  be  gained  by  work- 
ing in  another  department,  or  the  desire  to  be  near  a  friend. 
When  the  transfer  is  refused  he  becomes  dissatisfied. 

3.  A  man  who  has  become  familiar  with  the  work  of  a 
certain  department  through  training  and  experience  may 
desire  a  transfer  to  another  department.  But  he  would  be  too 
valuable  to  release  and  replace. 

4.  A  workman  may  be  involuntarily  transferred.  He  may 
have  proved  inefficient  and  because  of  that  fact  his  foreman 
may  desire  to  get  rid  of  him  and  so  encourage  his  efforts 
for  a  transfer.  To  fire  the  workman  might  militate  against 
the  foreman's  turnover  record. 

5.  If  transfers  are  permitted,  there  is  always  some 
particular  department  to  which  workmen  in  general  desire  to 
gravitate. 

The  Objections  Answered 

The  five  common  objections  may  be  answered  as  follows: 

I.  Such  acts  of  omission  or  commission  eventually  come 

to  the  knowledge  of  the  employment  department,   and  the 

move  to  effect  a  transfer  on  the  part  of  a  workman  is  blocked 

or  discouraged. 


TRANSFERS  221 

2.  Workers  are  given  to  understand  that  transfers  are  not 
granted  for  the  mere  asking. 

3.  When  such  a  transfer  is  deemed  advisable,  an  equally 
efficient  employee  may  be  furnished  to  take  the  place  of  the 
workman  desiring  the  transfer. 

4.  The  best  interests  of  the  company  in  that  case  are  not 
considered  by  the  foreman.  This  would  be  discovered  before 
long,  when  the  exact  reasons  for  the  transfer  were  investigated. 

5.  Workmen  differ  so  much  in  their  desires  and  qualifica- 
tions that  no  one  or  two  departments  could  attract  all  of 
them. 

Transfers  Merely  Fair  to  the  Worker 

Not  50  per  cent  of  the  men  hired,  unless  carefully  selected 
— ^their  character,  condition,  and  record  duly  entered  and 
analyzed — are  placed  immediately  in  the  work  for  which  they 
are  best  fitted.  Misplaced  workers,  whose  records  otherwise 
show  that  they  are  desirable,  should  be  given  as  many  chances 
as  possible  without  placing  an  extra  burden  on  the  organization. 
Firing  should  be  the  last  resort. 

The  foreman  in  one  department  usually  does  not,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  know  where  best  to  place  a  worker  who  is 
a  candidate  for  transfer.  But  the  employment  department, 
undertaking  the  whole  work  of  engagements,  transfers,  and 
discharges,  is  in  a  position  to  decide  upon  the  advisability 
of  transfers  intelligently,  authoritatively,  and  advantageously. 

Before  the  advent  of  the  employment  department,  the  com- 
mon practice  was  as  foUoWs:  If  a  man  did  not  suit  his  fore- 
man, he  was  fired  and  no  questions  asked.  A  foreman  disliked 
to  think  that  a  man  whom  he  had  discharged  had  taken  refuge 
in  another  department,  and  the  foremen  of  other  departments 
disliked  to  shelter  the  "refugee,"  especially  when  the  employee 
boasted  of  being  able  to  affect  a  change  in  spite  of  his  dis- 
charge.   It  thus  came  to  pass  that  the  foreman  would  rather 


222  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

let  a  man  be  lost  to  the  plant  entirely  than  to  see  him  trans- 
ferred to  another  department. 

Transfers  Should  Not  be  Subversive  to  Discipline 

The  question  may  be  asked:  Although  the  time  has  now 
come  when  a  man  must  subordinate  his  personal  feelings  to 
an  unselfish  regard  for  the  welfare  of  his  organization,  will 
not  a  measure  of  discontent  be  produced  in  a  foreman  if  he 
thinks  that  although  he  has  discharged  a  man,  the  latter  will 
be  retained  by  the  company?  The  employment  department 
must,  therefore,  take  care  that  the  transfer  of  an  employee 
from  one  department  to  another  is  made  in  such  a  way  as 
not  to  undermine  the  disciplinary  authority  of  the  foreman  or 
superintendent  of  the  first  department. 

A  Practical  Method 

When  a  workman  has  given  notice  that  he  has  quit  or  is 
about  to  quit,  or  when  he  has  been  recommended  for  discharge 
or  laid  off,  or  when  a  foreman  has  recommended  him  for  a 
transfer,  or  when  the  man  himself  has  requested  his  own 
transfer  to  other  work  or  to  another  department,  the  employ- 
ment department  states  on  the  request  for  transfer  form  (see 
Figure  23,  page  73)  the  workman's  reasons  for  desiring  the 
change.  The  form  is  then  submitted  to  the  foreman  from 
whom  he  wishes  to  be  transferred,  who  in  turn  states  his 
reasons  why  the  man  should,  or  should  not  be  transferred 
or  rehired.  The  foreman  signifies  his  consent,  neutrality,  or 
disapproval  of  the  transaction  and  then  submits  the  case  to 
the  employment  department.  The  employment  department's 
course  is  determined  after  consultation  with  department  heads 
under  whom  the  man  has  worked.  The  investigation  should 
include  their  judgment  of  the  man's  efficiency,  and  what  is 
shown  by  the  employment  records  as  to  his  productivity,  skill, 
efficiency   rating,   etc.     The  question  may  then  have  to  be 


TRANSFERS  223 

decided  by  the  "court  of  appeals,"  if  there  has  been  apparent 
misunderstanding,  misrepresentation,  or  conflict  of  facts. 

At  all  times,  however,  foremen  should  be  consulted  in 
these  matters ;  otherwise  an  undercurrent  of  antipathy  towards 
the  employment  department  may  be  created  in  their  minds. 

Where  transfers  have  been  arranged  for,  at  the  request 
of  an  employee,  the  employment  department  should  have  the 
employee  understand  thoroughly  that  the  favor  has  been 
granted  in  harmony  with  his  best  vocational  fitness,  and  that 
he  is  not  to  make  capital  of  the  transfer  or  render  himself 
conspicuous  by  constantly  alluding  to  it  as  a  flaunt  at  his 
former  department  head,  especially  if  the  department  head 
was  not  entirely  in  favor  of  it. 

Advisable  and  Inadvisable  Transfers 

One  writer  advises  as  follows:  "Seldom  transfer  a  work- 
man to  another  department  for  reasons  of  personal  antipathy. 
Let  the  workman  and  his  foreman  have  it  out.  They  may 
dislike  each  other,  but  they  will  respect  each  other  when  the 
trouble  is  over.  Better  an  apology  be  made,  if  it  is  due,  than 
transfer  and  consequent  resentment  which  stores  up  trouble 
for  the  future.  After  the  matter  is  straightened  out,  and  if 
it  is  advisable,  the  man  may  be  placed  among  more  congenial 
workers  elsewhere." 

Suppose  that  the  employee  who  has  been  recommended 
for  discharge  has  been  given  a  hearing  and  both  sides  of  the 
story  have  been  told.  The  fault  has  been  traced  to  the  fore- 
man who  recommended  the  discharge.  He  is  guilty  of  having 
permitted  his  prejudice  or  personal  feelings  against  the  work- 
man to  influence  him.  Some  suggest  that  the  foreman  should 
be  forced  to  take  back  a  workman  who  has  been  discharged 
if  conditions  indicate  that  the  foreman  was  in  the  wrong. 
The  more  rational  plan  would  be  to  transfer  the  workman 
to  another  department.     There  is  little  to  be  gained  by  return- 


224  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

ing  to  a  foreman  a  man  whom  he  does  not  want,  since  the 
enmity  between  the  two  would  prevent  good  teamwork. 

Practical  experience  proves  that  the  prevailing  idea  among 
foremen  that  transfers  will  disorganize  the  departments  of  a 
plant  is  a  fallacy.  Foremen  of  the  newer  school,  especially 
the  younger  men,  are  not  bound  by  tradition  and  are  more 
liberal  in  their  views  on  this  subject. 

Dangers  of  Transfers 

There  is,  however,  some  danger  in  encouraging  the  practice 
of  transfers  too  much.  If  it  is  known  among  workers  that 
a  transfer  is  the  worst  that  can  happen  to  them  in  case  of  a 
breach  of  discipline,  the  tendency  is  to  break  down  control 
and  increase  the  spirit  of  indifference  that  in  some  workers 
is  too  prevalent.  The  employment  department,  in  its  talks  to 
men  on  this  subject,  can  emphasize  the  negative  side  of  the 
matter.  It  should  show  that  transfers  cost  relatively  as  much 
for  internal  changes  as  do  the  external  changes  of  personnel ; 
that  transfers  have  to  be  taken  into  account  on  the  labor 
turnover  calculation  as  an  item  of  expense  which  can  become 
burdensome  and  uneconomical,  despite  the  offsetting  benefits 
which  are  many  if  the  change  is  well  advised.  The  transfer 
privilege  thus  takes  on  importance  and  becomes  a  sought-for 
prize  on  the  part  of  the  worker,  and  an  effective  instrument 
in  the  hands  of  the  employment  department  for  rewarding 
merit  and  adjusting  personnel. 

Foremen  Can  Aid  Materially 

Foremen  will  greatly  help  the  progressive  movement  by 
encouraging  the  transfer  of  men  from  and  to  their  depart- 
ments, if  beneficial  to  all  concerned.  Common  justice,  there- 
fore, as  well  as  good  management  seems  to  necessitate  a  cen- 
tralized authority  for  the  procedure  of  transfer.  The  foremen 
must  be  led  to  realize  that  the  final  authority  for  transfer. 


TRANSFERS  22$ 

as  in  hiring,  promoting,  and  discharging,  should  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  employment  department,  which  has  ample  facili- 
ties to  gather  the  accumulated  knowledge  of  the  progress, 
faults,  and  virtues  of  each  employee,  and  to  help  him  intel- 
ligently when  he  desires  information  and  assistance. 

By  instituting  a  sane  and  well-balanced  system  of  trans- 
ferring, a  great  deal  of  economic  waste  of  hiring  and  firing 
is  avoided,  and  good-will  on  the  part  of  the  employee  towards 
the  employer  is  engendered. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

PROMOTIONS 

t 

The  Task  of  Promotions 

The  task  of  promotion,  like  that  of  discharge  and  transfer, 
should  be  delegated  to  the  employment  department — with  the 
co-operation,  of  course,  of  the  foremen  and  department  heads. 

The  reason  for  this  is  plain.  The  employment  office  re- 
ceives every  record  that  has  to  do  in  any  way  with  an  employee. 
The  employment  manager  has  under  his  constant  scrutiny 
every  statement  of  a  man's  progress  in  the  plant,  not  only  the 
foreman's  follow-up  reports,  but  every  record  of  a  like  char- 
acter gathered  from  every  source.  No  one  else  in  the  plant 
has  such  a  complete  record  of  the  employee  as  the  employ- 
ment manager,  and  no  one  else,  therefore,  is  in  such  an 
advantageous  position  to  arrange  for  promotions. 

General  Promotion  Methods 

All  workers  should  have  the  privilege  of  applying  for  any 
definite  work  or  advanced  position  that  they  may  desire,  and 
their  applications  should  always  be  certified  and  considered. 
In  this  way  charges  of  favoritism  and  unfairness  are  avoided 
and  a  better  spirit  is  engendered  throughout  the  working  force. 

There  are  some  men,  of  course,  who  feel  happy  and  con- 
tented on  their  jobs  indefinitely,  who  do  not  aspire  to  a 
position  of  greater  skill  or  responsibility.  Recognition  of 
services  well  done  by  this  class  of  employees  takes  the  form 
of  an  advance  in  wages,  which  is  in  the  nature  of  promotion. 

Promotions  should  occur  often  enough  to  attract  and  hold 
a  high  type  of  employee.     Men  must  have  something  definite 

226 


PROMOTIONS  227 

to  look  forward  to.  They  should  not  be  led  on  by  empty 
and  vague  promises.  If  an  employee  knows  that  he  will  be 
given  an  opportunity  and  that  he  is  in  line  for  promotion 
when  an  opening  occurs,  he  will  be  inclined  to  offset  this 
advantage  against  some  deficiency  connected  with  his  job  and 
will  stick  until  his  real  worth  is  given  expression. 

Honest  Incentive 

When  a  man  first  applies  for  a  position  the  promotion 
plan  should  be  explained  to  him.  But  no  promises  should  be 
made  that  will  lead  to  disappointment  later;  promotions 
promised  and  never  realized  cause  untold  discontent.  Within 
a  few  weeks  after  the  man  has  been  hired  he  should  be  called 
to  the  employment  office  and  his  progress  discussed.  If  by 
that  time  he  has  demonstrated  his  ability,  he  should  be  promised 
promotion. 

The  follow-up  reports  on  his  progress  should  then  be 
watched  carefully  for  perhaps  three  months;  the  exact  time 
to  be  determined  by  the  specific  instance.  If  he  makes  good 
within  that  period  the  foreman  and  department  heads  should 
be  reminded  of  the  promised  promotion  or  advanced  wage. 
That  done,  consideration  should  be  given  to  the  matter  of 
providing  the  best  substitute  to  put  in  his  place,  according 
to  the  scheme  of  promotion  for  merit.  The  organization  which 
establishes  systematic  promotion  will  benefit  by  it,  because 
there  is  a  decided  advantage  in  having  capable  men  advanced. 

Charting  the  Course 

The  system  of  promotion  should  be  so  planned  that  dis- 
tribution of  work  and  promotion  does  not  depend  upon  the 
personal  favor  of  a  foreman  or  clerk,  nor  of  anyone  else  who 
may  happen  to  be  in  charge.  The  possible  lines  of  promotion 
should  be  charted  in  the  separate  departments,  and  from  one 


228  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

department  to  another.  In  addition,  a  general  chart  covering 
all  departments  should  be  displayed  in  the  employment  depart- 
ment; this  will  inspire  confidence  in  new  applicants  and  hope 
in  old  employees. 

The  employment  department  should  classify  all  operations 
and  map  out  the  possible  lines  of  promotion.  A  study  of 
job  analysis  and  job  specification  sheets  should  be  made,  supple- 
mented by  personal  visits  to  the  various  departments  by  the 
employment  manager.  All  findings  should  be  recorded  and 
revised,  after  repeated  consultations,  to  ascertain  the  best 
classification  and  method  of  application.  Finally,  a  procedure 
should  be  standardized. 

A  specific  path  for  promotion  may  be  outlined,  for  instance, 
by  classifying  all  operations.  All  work  may  be  found  to  fall 
into  certain  groups,  following  established  standards  as  to 
length  of  time  required  for  learning  the  work,  the  skill  required 
in  performing  it,  and  the  relative  agreeableness  of  its  hours, 
conditions,  etc.  Within  these  divisions  or  groups,  definitely 
graded  positions  may  be  provided  for,  classified  according  to 
their  maximum  desirability  with  reference  to  earnings,  skill, 
and  general  status.  The  jobs  may  be  identified  alphabetically 
— ^A,  B,  C,  D — when  promotions  are  made.  A  group-D 
employee  would  be  promoted  to  a  job  graded  C,  group-C 
employee  to  one  graded  B,  and  a  group-B  employee  to  one 
graded  A.  Policies  in  such  matters  will  depend  largely  upon 
the  requirements  of  the  individual  organization. 


The  Three-Position  Plan  of  Promotion 

The  three-position  plan  of  promotion,  as  outlined  by  F.  B. 
and  L.  M.  Gilbreth,  makes  each  employee  in  a  plant  a  member 
of  three  groups.  He  belongs  to  a  lower  group  as  a  teacher, 
his  own  group  as  a  worker,  and  a  higher  group  as  an  appren- 
tice.    Part  of  his  time  is  devoted  to  the  training  of  someone 


PROMOTIONS  229 

in  the  lower  group  to  take  his  place,  and  part  to  fitting  himself 
for  a  place  in  the  higher  group.  The  length  of  time  a  man 
stays  at  his  work  before  going  up  a  step  depends  upon  two 
factors : 

1.  How  soon  he  can  train  a  man  below  him  to  take  his 

place. 

2.  How  quickly  he  can  master  the  training  which  will  fit 

him  for  a  position  in  the  next  group  above. 

The  Understudy  System 

On  some  of  the  railroads,  they  have  in  operation  a  plan 
known  as  the  "understudy  system."  A  chart  of  the  organiza- 
tion is  prepared,  showing  the  jobs,  their  responsibilities,  the 
men  holding  them,  and  the  men  who  could  be  put  into  them 
if  the  positions  were  left  vacant.  Men  are  kept  in  training 
for  all  executive  positions,  so  that  any  vacancy  can  be  filled 
by  promotion.  Each  executive  selects  one  or  more  persons 
and  trains  them  to  succeed  him,  thus  enabling  the  concern  to 
hold  within  itself  an  excellent  class  of  executives. 


The  Mechanics  of  Promotion 

The  worker,  the  foreman,  the  superintendent,  and  the  em- 
ployment manager  should  all  be  consulted  when  a  vacancy  is 
to  be  filled  by  promotion.  Frequently  a  vacancy  higher  up 
involves  several  advancements — an  additional  reason  for  con- 
sidering a  promotion  from  every  angle. 

C  Promotion  must  not  depend  alone  upon  seniority  of  service. 
It  must  be  considered  also  from  the  standpoint  of  ability, 
jimbition,  attendance  record,  and  adaptability  for  other  work. 
rThe  best  mechanic  may  make  the  poorest  foreman,  or  the 
best  laborer  the  poorest  mechanic;  whereas  aclerk  or  a  laborer 
may  make  a  very  good  foreman. 


230  HOLDING  EMPLOYEES 

Factors  of  Promotion 

Important  factors  in  promotion  may  be  summed  up  as 
follows: 

1.  Lay  out  a  definite  plan  of  job  classification  in  groups. 

2.  Grade  the  positions  in  these  groups. 

3.  Let  it  be  known  that  the  channels  to  advancement  are 

navigable  by  all. 

4.  Draw   upon  outside   sources   only  after  the   list   of 

present  employees  has  been  unsuccessfully  searched 
for  the  right  men. 

An  organization  that  really  encourages  training  and  self- 
improvement  among  its  employees  can  usually  fill  all  advanced 
positions  from  within  its  own  ranks.  Indeed,  the  firm  that 
does  not  fit  its  men  for  advancement  to  better  positions  is 
not  only  failing  in  its  duties  to  its  employees,  but  loses  thereby 
one  of  the  strongest  factors  that  makes  fdr  growth  and  power. 

"\Young  organizations  must,  of  course,  go  outside  for  the  men 
Ithey  need;  and  there  are  times  when  it  is  necessary  and  per- 

/fectly  permissible  for  any  employer  to  get  new  men  from  out- 

/  side.    But  the  best  policy  is  to  fill  vacancies,  whenever  possible, 

\f rom  within. 


•  CHAPTER  XVIII 
ABSENTEES 

Inculcating  Regularity 

The  members  of  the  employment  office  staff,  together  with 
the  foremen,  are  responsible  for  reducing  tardiness  and  absence 
to  the  minimum.  The  most  opportune  time  to  call  an  em- 
ployee's attention  to  his  responsibility  toward  the  firm  in  the 
matter  of  prompt  and  regular  attendance,  is  immediately  after 
he  is  hired.  He  should  be  made  to  understand  the  mutual 
obligations  of  worker  and  management;  he  should  be  shown 
that  promptness,  regularity,  and  steady  attendance  are  helpful 
to  himself  as  well  as  to  the  company ;  that  absence  from  work 
causes  loss  not  only  to  him,  but  to  others  whose  work  may 
be  dependent  upon  him. 

Co-operation  on  the  part  of  an  employee  is  usually 
quickened  if  he  understands  why  certain  things  are  expected 
of  him.  ''Why  is  it  that  promptness  and  regularity  are 
stressed  so  urgently?"  he  asks.  "Am  I  not  a  loser  if  I  stay 
home  or  report  to  work  late?"  He  reasons:  "If  the  paymaster 
takes  the  deduction  out  of  my  pay,  the  company  does  not 
lose." 

The  employment  manager  can  show  the  employee,  however, 
that  the  company  does  lose  for  several  reasons: 

1.  All  equipment  means  nothing  if  the  employees  are  not 
on  hand  to  operate  it,  to  perform  the  volume  of  work  that 
has  caused  the  company  to  provide  buildings  and  allot  space 
for  each  activity. 

2.  Whether  the  employee  is  present  or  not,  the  same 
amount  of   "overhead"  expense  is  required — more,  in  fact, 

231 


232  HOLDING  EMPLOYEES 

because  the  accounting  department  must  keep  track  of  such 
irregularities  as  absences. 

3.  The  influence  upon  other  employees  occasioned  by  the 
habitually  tardy  person  or  the  one  who  stays  home  without 
any  good  reason  is  bad. 

4.  The  work  is  planned  on  the  assumption  that  the  people 
employed  will  be  on  the  job,  and  if  they  fail  to  report  someone 
is  bound  to  be  inconvenienced,  if  indeed  the  schedule  of  the 
department  is  not  seriously  interrupted. 

Investigating  the  causes  of  absences  and  lates  and  educating 
employees  to  their  effects,  is  the  starting  point  from  which  to 
proceed  in  minimizing  this  irritant  both  to  business  and  in- 
dustry. 

The  foreman  of  each  department  or  the  timekeeping  depart- 
ment should  furnish  the  employment  office  with  a  list  of 
absentees  each  morning  on  the  forms  shown  in  Figures  28 
and  29,  pages  "jy  and  79. 

Careful  records  of  all  these  should  be  kept,  analyzed,  and 
classified,  using  the  same  procedure  as  in  recording  reasons 
for  leaving.  (See  Figure  34,  page  85.)  Such  data  are 
helpful  for  suggesting  remedies. 

As  mentioned  before,  a  constructive  system  of  records  is 
a  more  effective  means  of  checking  a  bad  practice,  such  as 
unjustifiable  absenteeism,  than  any  other  sort  of  preventive 
measures.  This  fact  should  be  considered  when  remedies  for 
excessive  absenteeism  are  being  devised. 

Information  obtained  by  letter,  by  personal  visit,  or  by 
telephone,  no  matter  by  whom  obtained,  should  be  recorded 
on  a  form  similar  to  the  investigator's  report  on  absentee  ( see 
Figure  32,  page  83).  The  investigator's  report  should  be 
placed  on  the  employment  manager's  desk  at  the  end  or  the 
beginning  of  the  working  day,  so  that  he  may  embody  the 
information  contained  therein  in  a  concise  report  to  the  depart- 
ment head  concerned. 


ABSENTEES  233 

Causes  of  Absence 

The  employment  department  must  ascertain,  whenever  pos- 
sible, why  a  man  is  absent.  That  information  is  useful  in 
several  ways.  It  enables  the  employment  department  to  deal 
intelligently  with  the  individual  absentee,  and  the  varieties  of 
reasons  for  absence,  gathered  over  an  extended  period,  enable 
it  to  determine  the  major  causes  of  absenteeism  and  to  seek 
remedies  for  them. 

Finding  the  Reason 

The  causes  for  absence  may  be  obtained  in  three  ways: 

1.  By  convincing  workmen  of  the  importance  of  getting 

permission  for  intended  absence  or  of  notifying  the 
office  by  telephone  of  unavoidable  absence. 

2.  By  following  up  the  absentees  listed  each  morning  on 

the  foreman's  report. 

3.  By  interviewing  absentees  upon  their  return  to  work. 

The  first  method  is  the  best  whenever  it  can  be  employed ; 
for  the  time  and  expense  of  follow-up  is  entirely  eliminated. 
More  often  than  not,  however,  the  second  method  is  necessary. 
When  it  is,  the  follow-up  should  be  made  to  serve  as  many 
purposes  as  possible  in  order  to  justify  its  use. 

The  Follow-up 

Discretion  must  be  used  in  following  up  the  absentees. 
New  employees  should  be  followed  up  immediately,  but  those 
in  service  for  some  time  need  not  be  followed  up  personally 
until  after  the  expiration  of  about  three  days. 

As  a  means  of  follow-up,  personal  calls  are  more  effective 
than  letters.  Workmen  who  are  ill  appreciate  rather  than 
resent  having  someone  call  at  their  homes. 

When  the  absent  workman  is  of  value  and  importance 
to  his  department  and  there  are  reasons  for  believing  that 


234  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

he  is  working  elsewhere,  a  personal  call,  in  which  the  advan- 
tages of  returning  to  his  former  work  at  the  plant  are 
enumerated,  may  be  the  means  of  reclaiming  him.  Moreover, 
a  personal  visit  often  brings  out  grievances,  imaginary  or 
otherwise.  The  employee  may  be  disgruntled  with  his  su- 
periors or  fellow-workmen,  or  dissatisfied  with  his  work.  He 
may  be  asked  to  return  and  have  the  matter  adjusted.  A 
confidential  talk  on  such  an  occasion  makes  for  good  feeling 
and  a  better  understanding  on  the  part  of  the  workman's 
family,  who  frequently  make  matters  worse  by  ill-timed  sym- 
pathy or  positive  antagonism.  Any  misapprehension  they  may 
have  had  can  be  dispelled  at  this  time.  Many  times  a  mis- 
understanding can  be  adjusted  and  a  good  employee  saved. 

Visiting  the  Sick 

A  little  personal  attention  to  sick  and  injured  employees 
is  especially  appreciated.  Evidence  of  this  sort,  showing  the 
company's  solicitation  for  their  condition,  leaves  them  in  a 
cheerful  and  courageous  mood,  and  hastens  their  recovery. 
If  an  injured  employee  is  unable  to  report  to  the  factory  for 
treatment,  the  company  doctor  should  visit  him  frequently 
enough  to  keep  in  touch  with  his  progress.  If  possible  a 
representative  of  the  employment  department  should  call  to 
show  sympathy  and  interest.  During  his  visit  he  may  explain 
all  the  phases  of  accident  compensation  and  possibly  deliver 
the  compensation  check  itself.  If  the  industrial  visitor  has 
some  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  hygiene,  he  may  find  an 
opportunity  to  point  out  the  relation  of  health  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  right  habits  to  work  and  earning  power. 

The  Personal  Visitor 

If  the  number  of  absentees  is  great,  the  employment  depart- 
ment may  have  a  special  investigator  to  do  this  personal  visit- 
ing; if  the  number  is  small,  one  of  the  employment  staff, 


ABSENTEES  235 

or  a  specially  appointed  man  from  the  factory,  may  do  it.  In 
some  firms  the  department  heads  and  the  foremen  co-operate 
with  the  employment  department  and  make  such  visits  for 
them.  A  home  visit  is  most  effective  when  the  visitor  is  tact- 
ful, versatile,  adaptable,  and  can  speak  the  language  of  the 
absentee. 

Returning  Absentees 

Absentees  should  not  be  permitted  to  return  to  work  with- 
out first  visiting  the  employment  department.  There,  return- 
ing absentees  should  be  interviewed  every  morning,  since  an 
interview  furnishes  an  opportunity  for  personal  expression  of 
sympathy,  and  reveals  many  chances  for  service  in  solving 
personal  problems.  This  interview  may  be  used  whether  a 
personal  visit  has  been  made  to  the  absentee's  home  or  not. 

Methods  of  Reducing  Number  of  Absences 

An  investigation  was  conducted  recently  in  one  of  the  large 
eastern  cities  which  revealed  many  interesting  facts  about 
tardiness  and  absenteeism.  Fifteen  firms  were  affiliated  in  the 
study,  and  among  the  most  interesting  plans  presented  for 
combating  excessive  tardiness  and  absenteeism  are  the  fol- 
lowing: 

I.  In  one  plant  a  card  record  is  kept  of  all  those  absent 
and  tardy.  This  record  contains  merit  and  demerit  items  and 
each  month  is  submitted  to  the  employee  for  his  inspection. 

Clock  cards  of  all  those  tardy  and  absent  are  collected  and 
placed  on  file  in  the  employment  department.  Delinquents 
are  obliged  to  claim  their  cards  and  submit  reasons  for  their 
absence  or  tardiness  before  being  permitted  to  go  back  to  work. 

Each  foreman  receives  every  day  a  printed  form  which 
contains  the  number  of  tardy  and  absent.  The  foremen  are 
asked  to  check  up  and  to  report  back  any  information  which 
they  may  have  as  to  those  who  are  tardy  and  absent. 


236  HOLDING  EMPLOYEES 

2.  Another  plant  has  a  rather  unusual  bonus  plan  for  per- 
fect attendance  and  punctuality.  After  one  month's  perfect 
record  the  following  choices  of  bonus  are  offered: 

(a)  One  day's  vacation  with  pay  each  month. 

(b)  One  extra  day's  pay  every  month. 

(c)  Accumulation  of  vacation  time  coming,  to  be  taken 

at  one  time.    Thus,  a  year's  perfect  record  would 
yield  two  weeks'  vacation  with  pay. 

(d)  Accumulation  of  extra  money  granted  yearly,  same 

in  the  meantime  being  deposited  in  the  local  bank. 

This  plan  has  not  met  with  unqualified  success.  The  man- 
agement believes  that  a  bonus  scheme  on  a  weekly  basis  would 
be  much  more  beneficial.  As  it  is,  if  a  man  is  late  or  absent 
the  first  part  of  the  month,  he  is  indifferent  to  his  record  for 
the  remainder  of  the  month.  About  50  per  cent  of  the  em- 
ployees were  participating  in  this  plan,  when  last  investigated. 

3.  In  a  third  plant  each  employee,  after  being  three  months 
in  the  service,  is  entitled  to  participate  in  the  bonus  scheme 
which  entitles  him  to  5  per  cent  of  his  weekly  earnings  paid 
every  three  months  in  a  lump  sum.  This  bonus  is  contingent 
upon  attendance  and  punctuality,  with  unavoidable  sickness 
the  only  basis  for  excuse.  Unexcused  absence  or  lateness 
affects  the  bonus  for  the  week  in  which  it  occurs.  This  plan 
is  working  out  very  successfully,  75  per  cent  of  the  employees 
participating.  It  has  had  a  noticeable  effect  in  stabilizing 
attendance. 

4.  A  fourth  plant  adopted  a  bonus  plan  which  was  put 
into  operation  in  August,  19 17.  Every  employee  who  has 
had  a  perfect  attendance  and  punctuality  record  for  three  con- 
secutive weeks  is  entitled  to  a  $1  bonus  weekly,  but  once  the 
record  has  been  broken,  another  probationary  period  of  three 
weeks  must  be  passed  before  he  is  again  eligible  to  a  bonus. 
This  plan  is  working  out  very  satisfactorily.    The  first  month, 


ABSENTEES  237 

38  per  cent  of  the  employees  participated.     The  last  record 
shows  that  52  per  cent  shared  in  the  bonus. 

5.  A  fifth  plant  has  two  types  of  bonus  for  punctuality 
and  attendance.  In  the  office  scheme,  punctuality  and  at- 
tendance alike  enter  into  the  bonus  after  this  fashion.  A 
month's  perfect  attendance,  without  being  tardy  or  absent, 
entitles  the  employee  to  a  day  off  the  next  month  or  to  an 
extra  day's  pay.  Most  employees  accept  the  latter  alternative. 
Furthermore,  for  each  month's  perfect  attendance,  a  half -day 
is  added  to  the  annual  vacation  which  is  on  the  basis  of  one 
week.  Thus,  twelve  months'  perfect  attendance  would  entitle 
the  employee  to  an  extra  six  days,  in  which  event  he  would 
have  a  two  weeks'  vacation.  According  to  this  plan,  which 
is  operating  fairly  successfully,  sickness  is  not  excused. 

In  the  factory,  a  bonus  is  given  for  continuous  employment 
with  exceptions  granted  for  sickness  and  temporary  layoffs  by 
the  concern.  A  bonus  of  $1  a  week  is  paid  employees  who 
have  been  continuously  on  the  pay-roll  for  six  months.  The 
times  of  payment  are  July  i  and  January  i ;  but  six  months' 
accumulated  bonus  is  held  back;  that  is,  if  an  employee  was 
continuously  employed  from  July  i  to  January  i,  the  accumu- 
lated bonus  of  six  months  at  the  rate  of  $1  a  week,  would  be 
paid  the  next  July.  Last  January,  those  who  were  continuously 
employed  from  January  i,  19 19,  to  July  i,  19 19,  and  were 
still  on  the  pay-roll  January  i,  1920,  were  given  their  bonus. 
Almost  $1,000  was  paid  out  in  this  way  and  the  concern 
advises  that  the  plan  has  been  quite  helpful  in  retaining  their 
employees. 

6.  A  sixth  plant  has  adopted  a  bonus  plan  for  both  office 
and  factory  employees.  Every  employee  who  turns  in  a  per- 
fect clock  card  for  a  week  is  given  a  25  cents  bonus,  which 
bonus,  however,  is  paid  at  the  end  of  the  month,  making  it 
possible  for  each  employee  to  earn  a  $1  bonus  during  the 
month. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

DISCHARGES 

Centralized  Control 

To  insure  that  a  discharge,  resignation,  or  "layoff'*  is  for 
an  adequate  reason  which  is  consistent  with  efficient  control, 
the  employment  department  must  be  empowered  to  check  the 
action  of  every  department  head  as  to  whether  a  man  is  to 
be  excluded  from  the  plant  or  placed  elsewhere  in  it.  That 
can  be  done  only  by  centralized  authority. 

Foremen  will  usually  oppose  this  centralized  authority, 
especially  when  it  is  first  instituted  in  a  plant.  Some  of  them 
will  oppose  it  because  they  like  to  feel  that  they  are  the  court 
of  last  resort  for  the  men  working  under  them;  others  will 
oppose  it  because  they  consider  themselves  the  best  judge  of 
a  worker's  fitness  to  continue  in  the  plant.  But  their  opposi- 
tion must  be  overcome — Chapter  IV  goes  into  details  of  ways 
and  means — and  their  whole-hearted  co-operation  must  be 
gained. 

To  insure  further  the  support  of  all  concerned  in  the 
question  of  discharge,  a  questionnaire  embodying  all  the  items 
of  the  proposed  scheme  of  centralized  control  should  be  sub- 
mitted to  all  foremen  and  executives.  They  should  then  be 
asked  to  vote  on  each  of  the  separate  items  of  the  plan.  In 
this  way  the  affirmative  or  negative  attitudes  of  the  executive 
heads  and  foremen  will  be  crystallized  and  the  discussion  will 
be  placed  on  open  ground. 

The  final  decision,  however,  regarding  the  discharge,  lay- 
ing off,  or  conditions  prompting  voluntary  leaving  of  a  new 

238 


DISCHARGES  239 

or  old  employee,  should  be  under  the  control  of  the  employ- 
ment department  in  conjunction  with  the  "board  of  appeals  or 
arbitration."     (See  Chapter  XXXI.) 

Constructive  Discharge 

The  employment  manager,  having  the  employee's  complete 
record  before  him,  is  best  equipped  to  exercise  the  function 
of  discharge.  He  is  in  a  position  to  make  an  impartial  in- 
vestigation of  reasons  leading  to  discharge,  which  may  reveal 
the  fact  that  the  fault  was  as  much  that  of  the  management 
as  of  the  employee. 

In  exercising  this  function  the  employment  manager  has 
certain  constructive  purposes  to  fulfil.  Chief  among  these 
purposes  are: 

1.  To  make  an  impartial  judgment  of  each  case. 

2.  To  stabilize  the  judgment  of  the  foremen. 

3.  To  establish  good- will  for  the  plant. 

4.  To  collect  necessary  data  concerning  reasons  for  dis- 

charge. 

5.  To  collect  necessary  data  concerning  reasons  for  leav- 

ing. 

An  Impartial  Judgment 

If  the  employment  manager  is  broad-minded,  tactful,  and 
firm,  he  can,  by  reviewing  all  cases  of  discharge  and  getting 
both  sides  of  each  story,  act  as  an  impartial  judge  for  the 
men.  Thus  the  men  will  receive  strict  justice  or  redress,  if 
injustice  has  been  done  them  by  their  superiors.  They  will 
be  clearly  shown  also  that  they  alone  are  responsible  for  the 
termination  of  their  employment  when  the  facts  warrant  such 
an  inference.  Methods  like  these  protect  an  employee  when 
he  is  right,  and  make  his  punishment  more  severe  when  he 


240  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

is  wrong.    Again,  they  tend  to  strengthen,  rather  than  weaken, 
the  foreman's  disciolinary  influence. 

Stabilizing  Judgment  of  Foremen 

By  his  final  review  of  discharges,  the  employment  manager 
can  exert  a  favorable  influence  over  the  foremen.  When  fore- 
men know  that  the  facts  of  every  case  will  be  investigated, 
they  are  more  likely  to  treat  their  employees  with  patience 
and  justice,  particularly  when  considering  a  discharge. 

A  foreman  may  exclude  any  man  he  does  not  want  in 
his  department,  but  the  employment  manager  must  decide  if 
the  man  deserves  unconditional  discharge,  or  if  he  should  be 
given  a  chance  in  another  department.  When  a  foreman 
realizes  that  he  has  no  longer  the  right  of  discharge,  but  merely 
that  of  temporary  suspension  of  an  employee,  and  that  his 
action  will  be  subject  to  the  scrutiny  of  the  employment  depart- 
ment, he  will  use  due  care  before  exercising  that  right  of 
suspension.  Personal  feelings,  racial  and  other  prejudices 
which  often  influence  foremen  in  dispensing  with  the  services 
of  employees,  will  disappear.  The  foreman  should  be  educated 
to  understand  that  all  cases  in  which  discharge  is  necessary 
should  be  talked  over  between  himself  and  the  employment 
manager,  before  definite  action  is  taken. 

Building  Good- Will 

To  have  a  good  name  a  plant  must  treat  men  with  con- 
sideration not  only  while  they  are  at  work,  but  also  when  they 
leave.  The  men  who  have  worked  for  a  firm  play  a  large  part 
in  forming  the  general  opinion  of  the  new  workmen  regarding 
it,  and  one  man's  adverse  influence  can  do  an  infinite  amount 
of  harm. 

The  employment  manager  should  see  that  each  man  who 
is  discharged,  or  who  resigns,  should  get  a  final  impression 
of  the  company  that  is  as  agreeable  as  possible.     If  a  man 


DISCHARGES  24I 

must  be  discharged,  it  may  still  be  done  without  having  him 
go  away  disgruntled.  If  the  company's  viewpoint  is  explained, 
men  who  are  leaving  because  they  are  dissatisfied  often  realize 
that  the  fault  may  have  been  their  own — or  at  least  partly 
their  own. 

When  a  workman  is  discharged  under  equitable  circum- 
stances, he  will  leave  the  service  without  ill-feeling  toward 
his  employers.  Instead  of  giving  the  place  a  hard  name,  the 
discharged  man  will  secretly  admire  and  respect  the  methods 
used  by  the  firm. 

An  instance  of  averting  hard  feeling  under  these  circum- 
stances occurred  lately  when  a  western  railroad  president  hap- 
pened to  ride  behind  an  engineer  who  violated  a  rigid  rule  by 
running  past  a  block  signal.  After  the  episode,  the  engineer 
was  seen  going  into  the  office  of  the  president.  Knowing 
something  of  the  circumstances,  his  co-workers  awaited  his 
return  with  interest.  "What  did  the  old  man  say?"  The 
engineer  replied,  '*He  talked  to  me  like  a  father."  "Well, 
then  he  didn't  discharge  you  ?"  "Sure  he  discharged  me.  He 
proved  to  me  that  he  had  to  discharge  me  in  order  to  maintain 
the  discipline  of  that  rule;  that  if  that  rule  were  violated,  it 
would  mean  a  wreck;  and  that  to  let  this  violation  go  un- 
punished would  ruin  the  organization." 

Reasons  for  Discharge 

In  all  discharges  the  employment  department  should  collect 
data  regarding  the  reasons  given  by  those  in  authority  for 
recommending  the  discharges.  Violations  of  rules  and  causes 
warranting  dismissal  should,  if  possible,  be  standardized,  made  a 
matter  of  record,  and  printed  on  the  back  of  a  card  or  circular, 
or  in  booklet  form  for  distribution  among  employees.  Such 
data  may  also  be  printed  on  a  poster  and  put  up  in  a  con- 
spicuous place  for  the  workmen  to  read.  The  following  is  an 
excellent  example. 


242  HOLDING  EMPLOYEES 

Offences  for  Which  an  Employee  May  Be  Suspended 
OR  Dismissed  Without  Further  Notice 

1.  Violation  of  any  law. 

Spedal  attention  is  called  to  the  following: 

(a)  Carrying  concealed  weapons;  fighting  or  attempting  bodily 

injury  to  another;  drunkenness;  conduct  which  violates 
the  common  decency  or  morality  of  the  community. 

(b)  Stealing,  or  malicious  mischief  resulting  in  the  injury  or 

destruction  of  the  property  of  other  employees  of  the 
company. 

(c)  Cruelty  to  animals,  the  property  of  other  employees  or  of 

the  company. 

2.  Violations  of  the  following  rules: 

(a)  Carelessness  in  regard  to  accident  and  safety  of  fellow- 

workmen. 

(b)  Riding  on  standard  or  narrow-gauge  equipment  or  on  any 

moving  machinery  where  not  assigned. 

(c)  Running  up  blocks  on  cranes. 

(d)  Violation   of   rules   governing   employees   in   repairing  or 

oiling  of  moving  machinery. 

(e)  Failure  to  wear  safety  goggles  that  have  been  provided. 

(f)  Smoking  or  carrying  matches  other  than  safety  matches  or 

having  open  lights  or  fires  within  prescribed  limits  where 
such  practice  is  forbidden. 

3.  Failure  to  report  immediately  accidents  or  personal  injuries,  to 

the  delegated  authority  wherever  possible. 

4.  Insubordination    (including   refusal   or    failure   to   perform   work 

assigned),  or  use  of  profane  or  abusive  language  toward  fellow- 
employees  or  officials  of  the  company. 

5.  Absence  from  duty  without  notice  to  and  permission  from  super- 

intendent or  foremen,  except  in  case  of  sickness  or  causes 
beyond  his  control,  of  a  character  that  prevents  his  giving 
notice. 

6.  Harboring  a  disease  that  on  account  of  his  own  carelessness  will 

endanger  fellow-workmen. 

7.  Changing  working  place  without  orders  or  prowling  around  the 

works  away  from  assigned  place. 

8.  Falsifying  or  refusing  to  give  testimony  when  accidents  are  being 


DISCHARGES  243 

investigated,   or"  for    false    statements   when    application    and 
physical  examination  is  being  made. 

9.  Neglect  or  carelessness  resulting  in  damage  to  railroad  equipment, 

or  neglect  of  car  dropper  properly  to  set  brakes  on  railroad 
cars  in  his  charge. 

10.  Wilful  neglect  in  care  or  use  of  company's  property. 

11.  Obtaining  material  at  storehouse  or  other  assigned  places  on 

fraudulent  orders. 

12.  Sleeping  while  on  duty. 

13.  Offering  or  receiving  money  or  other  valuable  consideration  in 

exchange  for  a  job,  better  working  place  or  any  change  in 
working  conditions. 

14.  Introduction,  possession,  or  Hse  on  the  property  of  the  company 

of  intoxicating  liquors. 

15.  Habitual   use  of   habit-forming  drugs  or  their  introduction  or 

possession  on  the  property  of  the  company. 

Collecting  Reasons  for  Resignations 

The  reasons  for  which  employees  leave  have  an  important 
bearing  on  the  subject  of  labor  turnover.  The  employment 
department  should  have  every  employee  state  his  reasons  for 
leaving;  he  will  not  hesitate  to  be  frank  on  the  subject,  if 
approached  properly.  All  reasons  should  be  noted  as  shown 
on  the  individual  form,  and  then  collated ;  from  this  statement 
the  fundamental  reasons  may  be  sifted  out  and  transferred  to 
the  turnover  sheet.     (See  pages  92  and  93.) 

Complaints  may  be  multifarious;  grievances  may  be  real 
or  imaginary.  One  person  may  complain  of  an  abusive  or 
nagging  foreman;  another  may  say  that  time  is  lost  waiting 
for  Work  or  for  an  indispensable  tool.  Other  reasons  may 
be  the  relation  of  the  individual  to  his  home  conditions,  poor 
health  owing  to  habits  outside  of  business,  inherent  physical 
weakness,  dissatisfaction  with  wages,  and  so  on. 

In  one  plant  the  reasons  secured  numbered  hundreds,  and 
each  appeared  to  differ  from  the  other.  When  interpreted 
and  classified,  however,  the  whole  number  was  reduced  to 


244  HOLDING   EMPLOYEES 

about  twenty  basic  reasons.  From  them  the  actual  causes  for 
leaving  were  deduced.  These  causes,  in  turn,  were  classified 
according  to  departments  or  department  heads.  Thus  was 
shown  which  departments  and  which  men  experienced  the 
greatest  difficulties.  Then  a  recommendation  for  a  solution  was 
made  by  the  employment  manager  and  all  cases  were  per- 
sistently followed  up  until  proper  action  was  taken.  A  similar 
course  of  accumulating,  interpreting,  assorting,  and  classifying 
may  profitably  be  followed  in  any  factory. 

The  reasons  accumulated  should  be  a  matter  of  confidential 
record  and  serve  as  a  guide  for  the  employment  manager. 
These  records  can  be  made  to  show,  also,  where  the  majority 
of  the  workers  who  leave  go,  and  what  attracts  them  to  other 
plants.  This  may  reveal  what  is  lacking  in  one's  own  plant 
that  offers  attraction  in  another.  The  same  process  of  deduc- 
tion may  be  applied  to  gather  reasons  why  applicants  leave 
one  plant  and  go  to  another.  The  facts  thus  obtained  are  of 
assistance  in  finding  out  difficulties  in  other  plants  and  an- 
ticipating such  conditions  in  one's  own. 


PART  IV 

EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,  STORE,  AND 

BANK 


CHAPTER  XX 
EMPLOYING  FOR  THE  BUSINESS  HOUSE 

Scope  of  Part  IV 

Thus  far  we  have  concerned  ourselves  with  the  methods 
of  employing,  assigning,  and  holding  employees  in  factories 
and  other  industrial  plants  only.  From  this  point  onward  we 
shall  consider  the  same  problems  as  they  apply — with  some 
difference  of  detail — ^to  the  office,  store,  and  bank.  To  some 
extent  these  special  aspects  of  the  subject  have  been  dealt  with 
incidentally  in  the  preceding  chapters. 

On  certain  points,  however,  the  employment  problems  of 
the  office,  store,  and  bank,  call  for  special  discussion;  it  is 
the  purpose  of  the  following  chapters  to  give  such  discussion. 
Practically  the  same  objects  are  to  be  sought,  and  the  same 
barriers  to  be  surmounted.  The  fundamental  principles  under- 
lying the  solution  of  the  problem  are  identical,  but  the  type 
of  work,  and  the  type  of  worker  are  not.  And  this  difference 
of  work  and  worker  make  for  a  considerable  divergence  in 
the  method  of  applying  these  fundamental  principles. 

Two  Prime  Necessities  for  an  Employment  Manager 

The  two  prime  necessities  for  an  employment  manager, 
if  he  is  to  do  effective  personnel  work  (as  has  already  been 
pointed  out),  are:  first,  a  broad  scope,  and  second,  sufficient 
authority  to  put  his  ideas  into  practice. 

We  know  that  these  necessities  are  being  almost  universally 
granted  in  the  industrial  world.    The  same  is  true  of  the  busi- 

247 


248  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

ness  world,  and  to  an  even  greater  extent,  as  is  convincingly 
attested  by  the  statements  of  several  representative  firms. 

Personnel  Development  in  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 
Company 

The  personnel  director  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 
Company,  for  instance,  starting  from  a  very  modest  beginning, 
has  broadened  and  deepened  his  channel  of  usefulness  from 
year  to  year  until  now  its  extent  and  magnitude  are  amazing. 
The  following  list  which  traces  this  gradual  expansion,  also 
indicates  the  present  scope  of  the  welfare  activities. 

1893.  Lunchroom  1913-  Mount  McGregor  opened 

1894.  Athletic  association  1914-  Ventilation    and   sanitation 

1895.  Allowances  studies 

1897.  Mathematics  class  1914-  Disability  insurance 

1898.  Attendance  bonuses  1914-  Life  insurance 
1900.  Staff  savings  fund  1914-  Care  after  illness 
1904.  Luncheon  facilities  1914.  Nursing  for  clerks 

1906.  Medical  examination  1914.  Annual    medical    examina- 
1906.  Salary  scale  changed  tion 

1906.  Mental  examination  1915-  Rest  periods 

1908.  Stenographic  classes  1915-  Company  outing 

1908.  Free  luncheons  1915-  Dental  division 

1909.  Glee  club  I9i5«  Band 

1909.  English  classes  191 5-  Attendance  banner  compe- 
1909.  Individual  towels  tition 

1909.  Umbrellas  1915.  Sewing       and       millinery 

19 10.  Library  classes 

191 1.  Home  Office  dispensary  1915.  Gymnasium  classes 
191 1.  Individual  drinking  glasses  1916.  Plectrum  club 

191 1.  Pretubercular  care  1916.  Restroom    at    Mount    Mc- 

191 1.  Dancing  during  noon  hour  Gregor 

19 1 2.  Vacation  savings  fund  1917-  Reward  and  pension  system 
1912.  Correspondence    course    in  1918.  Rewards  and  pension  sys- 

life  insurance  tem  increased  in  scope 

1912.  Co-operative  store  1919.  Psychological  tests 

1913.  Optical  clinic 


EMPLOYING   FOR  THE   BUSINESS   HOUSE  249 

The  National  City  Bank 

Another  excellent  example  of  the  broad  conception  held 
of  the  activities  of  the  employment  department,  is  the  state- 
ment of  the  National  City  Bank  of  New  York,  which  uses 
the  term  "personnel  department."  The  function  of  this  depart- 
ment is  "to  maintain  efficiently  the  personnel  of  the  bank,  in- 
cluding that  of  the  branches,  the  agencies,  and  the  college 
training  class." 

Following  is  a  summary  which  indicates  the  wide  scope 
of  the  work: 

1.  The  employing  of  all  new  members  of  the  bank. 

2.  The  responsibility  for  the  reinstatement  of  former  em- 

ployees returning  from  military  service,  including  such 
matters  as: 

(a)  The   receipt   and   consideration   of   their    applica- 

tions. 

(b)  The  interviewing  of  these  men  when  they  call. 

(c)  The  consulting  with  various  division  heads  con- 

cerning the  positions   for  which  the  applicants 
are  best  suited. 

(d)  The  maintenance  of  a  record  indicating  the  number 

of  employees  who  entered  the  service. 

(e)  The  maintenance  of  records  of  men  who  have  died 

in  the  service. 

(f)  The  maintenance  of  records  of  men  who  have  re- 

turned from  the  service. 

3.  The  maintenance  of  a  card  index  of  the  present  addresses 

of  all  employees. 

4.  The  responsibility  of  the  bonding  of  employees,  both  in 

the  home  office  and  in  the  branches. 

5.  The  personal  interviewing  of  every  member  of  the  clerical 

force  at  least  twice  a  year. 

6.  The  maintenance  of  confidential  folders  of  every  employee 

of  the  bank.    These  folders  contain : 

(a)  The  original  application  and  references. 

(b)  The  physician's  periodical  reports. 

(c)  The  educational  department's  reports. 


250  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STOJIE,    BANK 

(d)  The    records    of    interviews    with    the    personnel 

director. 

(e)  All  confidential  data  regarding  that  particular  em- 

ployee. 

7.  The  maintenance  of  a  "signal"  file,  indicating  the  merits 

of  each  employee. 

8.  The  transfer  of  employees  from  one  department  to  an- 

other, and  the  maintenance  of  a  record  which  contains 
the  names  of  departments  to  which  employees  are  trans- 
ferred. 

9.  The  maintenance  of  a  filing  cabinet   for  those  who  are 

away  on  temporary  leave  of  absence  through  illness. 

10.  The   responsibility   for   the  efficient   functioning  of   the 

emergency  stenographic  force. 

11.  The  responsibility  for  the  operation  of  the  time  register 

system,  including: 

(a)  The  compiling  of  a  daily  report  to  the  comptroller, 

the  cashier,  and  the  organization  department, 
regarding  the  number  of  men  and  women  em- 
ployees in  the  bank. 

(b)  Reports  of  absent  and  tardy  employees. 

12.  The  handling  of  all  resignations. 

13.  The  keeping  of  filing  cabinets  containing  the  personal 

records  of  employees  who  have  resigned  and  concern- 
ing whom  telephone  inquiries  and  personal  calls  must 
be  answered. 

14.  The   responsibility   for   the    functioning  of   the   pension 

and  benefit  payment  plan,  and  the  maintenance  of  the 
records  incidental  to  it. 

15.  The  compilation  of  statistics  in  regard  to  employees: 

(a)  Number  of  applicants  for  positions. 

(b)  Number  of  new  employees. 

(c)  Sources  from  which  new  employees  come. 

(d)  Positions  assigned  to  new  employees. 

(e)  Transfers  of  employees. 

(f)  Interviews  with  employees. 

(g)  Absentees. 

(h)  Reasons  given  for  resignations. 
(i)  Alphabetical  list  of  resignations, 
(j)    Salary  increases. 


EMPLOYING  FOR  THE   BUSINESS  HOUSE 


251 


Authority  of  the  Employment  Manager 

The  authority  given  to  the  employment  manager  is  nearly 
always  consistent  with  the  broad  scope  of  the  activities  of 
his  department.  It  has  been  pointed  out  in  the  chapter  dealing 
with  his  position  in  industrial  plants,  how  necessary  to  him 
a  position  of  authority  is.    It  is  just  as  necessary  in  the  office, 


PRESIDENT 

1 

\PR£SIDENT 

Z'^VICE 
\PBESIDENT 

O'^VICE 
PRESIDENT 

PERSONNEL 
DIPKTOR 

yATRON          1 
H0US£tlOT>IEn\ 

1  EXAMINCn 

SeCTIOM 
HEADS 

MEDtCAL         1 
EXAMINER      1 

ORGANi 

irWU  OFMETROPOLm 
WATUS  OF  PERSONNE 

L 

i  INSURANCE  CO. 
DIRECTOR 

Figure  68.     (a)  Status  of  the  Personnel  Director  in  the  Metropolitan  Life 
Insurance  Company 

store,  or  bank.  And  indeed,  where  he  has  been  established 
in  the  store,  office,  or  bank,  his  rank  is  higher  than  in  the 
average  industrial  plant. 

His  proper  rank  in  the  business  organization  is  well  illus- 
trated by  abridged  organization  charts  of  several  prominent 
concerns.  Figure  68a  shows  his  status  in  the  Metropolitan 
Insurance  Company;  68b,  in  the  National  City  Bank;  68c, 
in  the  Guaranty  Trust  Company ;  68d,  in  the  Chase  National 
Bank  and   68e,   in  the  Equitable   Life  Assurance   Society. 


252 


EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


1 

COMPTfiOLLER 

1 

1 

PERSONNEL 
DIRECTOR 

\ 

7R6ANIZAriON 
DEPT. 

1 

SPECIAL  ASSr. 

WriCe  MANAGER 

1 

STATUSAT 
f^ATL  C/TYBANK 

Figure  68.     (b)  Status  of  Personnel  Director  in  National 
City  Bank  of  New  York 


1 

PRESIDENT 

VICE 
PRESIDENT 

1       OFFICE 
1  MANAGER 

PERSONNEL 
OFFICER 

GUAR. 

STATUSAT 
ANTY  TRUS 

TCO. 

PRESIDE/^T 

VICE 
PRESIDENT 

1  PERSONNEL 
\  DIRECTOR 

1 

EDUCATION 

EMPLOYMENT 

S7 
CHASEW 

'AT 
47V 

US 

AT 

"^AL  BANK, 

Figure  68.    (c)  Status  of  Personnel 

Director     in     Guaranty  „  Trust 

Company 


Figure  68.     (d)  Status  of  Person- 
nel Director  in  Chase  National 
Bank 


EMPLOYING  FOR  THE  BUSINESS  HOUSE 


253 


^1 

O   S 
d^ 

la, 

^§ 

^  h 

-I 

S3 


254  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

Examples  Typical 

The  examples  given  in  this  part  of  the  book,  both  as  to 
scope  of  activities  and  authority,  are  typical  of  the  recognition 
being  given  to  the  importance  of  the  employment  manager's 
work.  The  employment  manager  must  hold  a  position  similar 
to  that  indicated  in  these  charts  if  he  is  to  work  effectively 
and  productively. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

METHODS    OF    SECURING   OFFICE    HELP 

Methods  of  Business  Differ  Slightly  from  Those  of  Industry 

In  a  chapter  similar  to  the  present  one  (Chapter  IX, 
"Securing  the  Worker"),  we  discussed  the  methods  efficacious 
in  securing  the  industrial  employee.  In  this  chapter  we  shall 
confine  ourselves  to  the  methods  in  vogue  for  getting  office 
help.  Although  the  methods  are  alike  in  a  great  many  ways, 
there  are  differences  in  the  manner  of  utilizing  the  methods — 
and  these  differences  will  be  set  forth  here. 

Types  of  Employees 

The  three  types  of  business  under  consideration,  namely, 
stores,  offices,  and  banks,  require  young  people  of  both  sexes 
whose  inclinations  are  for  a  career  in  trade  and  office  work, 
as  well  as  people  of  longer  experience  in  those  occupations. 
Clerks,  salespeople,  accountants,  billing  machine  operators, 
stenographers,  calculating  machine  operators,  phonograph 
transcribers,  bookkeepers,  auditors,  and  others  of  similar  train- 
ing are  among  those  usually  needed. 

Sources  of  Supply 

Although  these  workers  are  not  all  cast  in  the  same  mould, 
there  is  a  more  or  less  common  source  from  which  they  may 
be  drawn,  not  very  different  from  that  drawn  upon  by  indus- 
trial plants.  All  existent  sources  are  open  to  each  alike,  and 
similar  methods  will  attract  them  all. 

The  following  classification,  however,  more  closely  fits  the 

255 


256  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

sources  of  supply  for  business  employees,  than  does  the  one 
presented  in  Chapter  IX,  which  applies  to  general  labor: 

1.  Advertising 

2.  Voluntary  applications 

3.  Recommendation  by  employees 

4.  Employment  agencies 

5.  Educational  institutions 

6.  Reinstatements 

7.  List  of  applicants 

I.     Advertising  for  Help 

The  basic  principles  of  advertising  discussed  in  Chapter  IX 
are  as  good  in  advertising  for  office  employees  as  for  industrial 
employees.     Variations  occur,  however,  in  their  application. 

"Blind  Advertisements" 

In  advertising  for  employees  to  fill  routine  positions,  such 
as  sales  clerks,  stenographers,  bank  messengers,  etc.,  "blind 
ads,"  should  not  be  used.  A  specific  address  and  time  for 
application  should  always  be  indicated. 

Advertisements  for  persons  to  fill  more  responsible  posi- 
tions, however,  such  as  junior  and  senior  executives,  advertis- 
ing managers,  department  managers,  buyers,  and  so  on,  should 
always  be  ''blind."  It  is  fully  as  important  that  advertisements 
for  this  grade  of  employee  should  not  bear  the  firm's  name  and 
address  as  that  advertisements  for  the  type  of  employee  first 
mentioned,  should  do  so.     (  See  Figure  69. ) 

Only  a  few  men  out  of  the  mass  can  possibly  qualify  for 
responsible  positions.  Those  few  can  best  be  selected  from 
the  letters  they  will  write  in  reply  to  a  "blind  advertisement." 
Thus  the  employer  saves  himself  much  time  which  would 
otherwise  be  expended  interviewing  hopeless  applicants.  More- 
over, the  type  of  man  desired  for  such  a  position  will  not 


METHODS   OF    SECURING   OFFICE   HELP  257 

answer  an  advertisement  which  asks  for  an  immediate  personal 
call.  He  is  a  more  permanent  type  of  employee,  gets  a  larger 
salary,  costs  more  to  hire,  and  should  consequently  be  selected 
with  greater  care. 


FOREIGN  DEPARTMENT  MAN- 
AGER FOR  BANK  IN  PORT- 
LAND. ORE.;  EXCELLENT  OP- 
PORTUNITY FOR  A  HIGH- 
GRADE  MAN;  WRITE  IMME- 
DIATELY. STATING  EXPERI- 
ENCE. NATIONALITY,  AGE.  AND 
SALARY  DESIRED.  ADDRESS 
"D.  J."  P.  O.  BOX  822.  CITY 
HALL  STATION.  NEW  YORK 
CITY. 


MAN  WANTED — Of  seasoned  experience  in 
exports,  to  take  charge  of  branch  office  in 
the  Orient  with  staff  of  several  men  under  him, 
covering  complete  range  of  exports;  new 
branch  of  old,  established,  successfid  export 
house;  state  in  first  letter  education,  experi- 
ence, salary  wanted,  K.  479  Times  Down- 
town. 


Figure  69.     Examples  of  "Blind"  Advertisements 
for  Executive  Positions 

Display  Advertising  % 

While  the  great  bulk  of  employment  advertising  is  done 
through  the  classified  columns,  display  advertising  has  recently 
taken  a  place  in  this  field. 

It  may  be  used  effectively  in  advertising  for  high-grade 
executives,  and  for  men  to  fill  positions  of  particular  respon- 
sibility. It  appears  in  the  regular  advertising  portions  of 
newspapers  and  trade  papers,  and  its  additional  cost  is  justified 
by  its  prominence.     It  has  these  special  advantages : 

1.  Added  attraction- value  by  reason  of  prominent  position. 

2.  Opportunity    for    display   not   aflForded    in   classified 

column. 

3.  Suggestion  of  importance  of  vacancies  to  be  filled. 


258  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

Still  more  recently,  extensive  display  advertising  campaigns 
have  been  installed  by  several  large  concerns  for  employees 
for  routine  work.     This  advertising  may  be  carried  as  a  part 


M 


AVIS  is  selling  so  fast  we  need 
^  J  00  additional  girls,  good  salary, 
agreeable  work,  pleasant  surroundings, 
experience  not  necessary.   Apply 

VI VAUDOU,  Bush  Tennmal,  32~35th  Street,  Brooklyn 

IlU'OSISfljbiG/ 

MAUCS 

VIVAUDOU 

PARIS  NEW  YORK 

TAIC  FACE  POWDER  CREAM 


Figure  70.     Sample  of  Display  Advertising  for  Help,  Used  by  the  Makers  of 
Mavis  Toilet  Goods 

of  the  regular  advertising  of  the  company,  as  in  the  case 
with  the  Mavis  toilet  goods  (see  Figure  70),  or  in  a  separate 
campaign  for  employees,  as  in  the  case  of  the  New  York 
Telephone  Company  (see  Figure  71).    It  may  take  the  form 


METHODS   OF   SECURING   OFFICE   HELP  259 


*'Liike  talking  things  over 
at  hdme" 

When  a  girl  visits  one  of  our  Employment  Offices  to 
find  out  about  telephone  operating  she  usually  finds 
herself  talking  things  over  just  as  she  does  at  home. 

Friendly  attendants  explain  the  work  and  ask  simple 
questions. 

The  chief  requirements  are  health,  common  sense, 
good  sight,  good  hearing.  Girls  16  to  23  are,  eligible. 
Salary  paid  while  learning.     Apply  today  at 

MAIN  EMPLOYMENT  OFFICE 

1158  Broadway,  Corner  27th  Street,  Manhattan 
8  A.  M.  to  6  P  M. 

BRANCH  OFFICES 

91  WiUouKhfyySc.  Brooklyn  1336  Broadway,  Brooidyn 

9A.  M.toSP.  M.  9  A.  M.  to  5  P.  14, 

453  East  Tremont  Ave. ,  Bronx 

12M.  to9P.,M. 

NEW      YORK    ^Sh    TELEPHONE  CO. 


Figure  71.     Illustration  of  Display  Advertising  for  Help,  Used  by  the 
New  York  Telephone  Company 


26o  EMPLOYING   FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

of  display  in  newspapers  and  magazines,  that  of  car-cards  or 
posters,  or  that  of  cards  and  circulars.  It  is  particularly  effec- 
tive because  it  serves  more  than  one  purpose. 

1 .  It  obtains  employees. 

2.  It  tells  the  public  the  excellent  working  conditions  of 

the  company,  and  it  advertises  the  company's  name. 

3.  It  suggests  that  the  demand  for  the  company's  product 

is  so  great  that  it  is  difficult  to  supply  it. 

Except  for  these  differences,  the  principles  discussed  in 
Chapter  IX  apply  in  detail  to  advertising  for  office  help,  and 
need  not  be  repeated  here. 

Advertising  Not  Always  Desirable 

Advertising  is  relied  upon  in  a  large  measure  to  secure 
sufficient  applicants  for  the  merely  routine  positions.  Business 
houses,  especially  department  stores,  find  it  difficult,  however, 
to  ascertain  what  proportion  of  their  employees  come  to  them 
of  their  own  volition,  and  what  proportion  through  the  classi- 
fied advertisements  in  the  newspapers,  since  the  regular  daily 
advertisements  keep  the  store  constantly  before  the  public  eye. 
Because  of  this  fact,  business  firms  advertise  in  the  classified 
columns  of  the  papers  only  when  absolutely  necessary.  Some 
stores  are  averse  to  much  advertising  for  help,  for  they  feel 
it  may  have  a  tendency  to  give  those  seeking  positions  the  im- 
pression that  the  conditions  of  work  are  not  all  that  could  be 
desired. 

2.     Voluntary  Applications 

The  basic  qualifications  for  the  lower  positions  in  the  store, 
office,  or  bank  may  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  one  hand. 
The  sales  clerk  may  through  gradual  promotion  occupy  any 
of  the  higher  positions.  The  same  is  true  of  the  clerk,  book- 
keeper, or  stenographer  in  the  office  or  bank.     This  is  one 


METHODS   OF   SECURING   OFFICE   HELP  261 

reason  why  there  is  always  a  proportionately  larger  supply 
of  voluntary  applicants  than  is  the  case  with  the  factory  or 
shop,  where  the  worker  must  be  a  specialist  in  some  one  of 
hundreds  of  units  of  operation,  or  else  accept  the  menial  rank 
of  a  common  laborer.  Girls,  moreover,  drift  naturally  to  busi- 
ness houses  where  the  entrance  requirements  are  met  by 
ordinary  schooling ;  the  work  is  considered  easy,  congenial,  and 
socially  acceptable.  The  result  is  that  under  normal  conditions 
voluntary  applicants  are  numerous. 

3.     Recommendation  by  Employees 

Employees'  recommendations  of  their  friends  bear  good 
fruit.  This  fact  was  proved  in  connection  with  industrial 
plants,  and  it  holds  good  of  office  workers.  The  employment 
office  at  Macy's  store,  New  York  City,  displays  a  sign  which 
reads:  *'We  may  have  positions  for  your  friends.  Bring  or 
send  them  in  to  us.'*  The  employment  manager  gives  it  as  his 
opinion  that  the  most  desirable  class  of  applicants  are  brought 
in  through  quiet  solicitation  by  employees ;  that  the  older  em- 
ployees contribute  greatly  to  the  strength  and  quality  of  the 
personnel  by  their  co-operation.  The  employment  department 
can  rely  on  the  discernment  and  judgment  of  employees  in 
recommending  workers,  because  the  employees  know  the  kind 
of  people  wanted.  Macy's  employment  department  also  testi- 
fies that  employees  so  obtained  enter  readily  into  the  spirit 
of  the  work,  and  as  a  rule  develop  more  rapidly  than  those 
acquired  from  other  sources.  So  much  stress  is  laid  upon 
the  "recommended"  applicant  that  $10  is  paid  the  employee 
for  each  applicant  sent  in  who  remains  six  months  or  more. 

On  the  other  hand,  this  method  of  securing  applicants  is 
not  regarded  so  highly  by  the  banks,  whose  work  is,  perhaps, 
of  a  more  exacting  nature  for  the  beginner.  Though  they 
encourage  the  idea,  they  feel  that  caution  must  be  exercised  so 


262  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

as  not  to  give  offense  to  well-intentioned  employees  by  rejec- 
tion of  the  men  they  recommended. 

The  employment  department  of  a  large  New  York  bank, 
for  instance,  which  is  constantly  seeking  good  material  for 
its  ever-increasing  personnel,  sometimes  encourages  its  em- 
ployees to  recommend  applicants.  One  clerk  recommended  a 
friend.  The  position  the  recommended  man  was  to  fill  re- 
quired accuracy  in  spelling.  When  the  applicant  visited  the 
employment  department  he  was  given  a  test  calculated  to 
determine  if  he  had  that  requirement.  He  failed  miserably. 
Unwilling  to  injure  the  man's  feelings  by  bluntly  telling  him  he 
could  not  spell,  the  employment  department  had  to  use  its 
utmost  tact  in  rejecting  him.  They  had  been  forced  into  the 
invidious  position  of  offending  the  man  who  had  made  the 
recommendation,  and  his  attitude  betrayed  the  fact  that  he 
thought  his  judgment  had  been  impugned,  discouraging  him 
from  further  efforts  of  that  sort. 

So  often  has  this  means  of  securing  help  caused  embarrass- 
ment to  employment  departments  of  banks,  that  only  secondary 
value  is  attached  to  it  today.  As  a  general  policy,  it  is  ad- 
visable to  have  a  definite  understanding  with  employees  that 
all  applicants  directed  to  the  employment  office  must  qualify 
for  the  positions  regardless  of  personal  friendship  or  influence. 

4.     Employment  Agencies 

Employment  agencies,  both  public  and  private,  are  excel- 
lent sources  of  supply  for  business  help — much  better  for  office 
employees  than  for  manual  labor;  and  they  are  frequently 
called  upon  by  offices,  banks,  and  stores. 

In  the  up-to-date  employment  agencies,  clerical  and  execu- 
tive workers  are  no  longer  subjected  to  the  evils  which  were 
associated  with  the  old  common  labor  employment  agency. 
The  modern  agency   (very  often  under  the  direction  of  an 


METHODS   OF    SECURING    OFFICE   HELP  263 

expert  in  his  line)  studies  the  needs  both  of  the  employer  and 
the  employee,  and  thus  renders  an  invaluable  service. 

In  New  York  State,  all  employment  agencies  are  regulated 
by  law,  and  that  fact  gives  employers  an  element  of  confidence 
in  the  agencies  which  they  formerly  lacked. 

5.     Educational  Institutions 

Commercial  schools,  high  schools,  and  colleges  are  the  chief 
source  of  supply  of  employees  for  business  firms.  Many  busi- 
ness concerns  expend  their  greatest  efforts  to  obtain  as  much 
help  as  possible  from  these  educational  centers.  The  training 
secured  by  the  applicants  from  those  institutions  fits  them  more 
thoroughly  for  the  positions  open  to  them.  The  general  educa- 
tion afforded  by  the  schools  mentioned  is  of  particular  value 
to  store  and  office  workers. 

College  men  and  women  are  beginning  to  look  upon  the 
large  business  institutions  as  increasing  fields  of  opportunity. 
The  reason  is  plain.  A  big  establishment,  with  a  personnel 
ranging  from  two  to  five  thousand  workers,  is  actually  equiva- 
lent to  a  community  of  ten  to  eighteen  thousand  people — that 
is  to  say,  the  number  of  bread-winners  is  as  great  as  it  would 
be  in  communities  of  the  sizes  mentioned.  Commercial  con- 
cerns of  such  magnitude,  therefore,  must  secure  well-qualified 
applicants.  Thus,  progressive  business  is  reaching  out  for 
material  on  which  to  build  a  highly  trained  personnel. 

Several  business  establishments  in  the  larger  cities  already 
have  special  squads  of  college  people  representing  several  col- 
leges, and  further  developments  along  this  line  may  be  ex- 
pected. Not  only  are  the  firms  encouraging  the  colleges  to 
prepare  their  students  for  business  careers,  but  they  are  con- 
tributing financial  aid  to  assist  the  colleges  interested  in  special 
branches  of  commerce  and  finance.  Twenty  of  the  leading 
department  stores  in  the  metropolitan  district  of  New  York 
city  have  raised  $100,000  to  assist  New  York  University  in 


264  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

preparing  specially  qualified  and  picked  students  for  executive 
positions  in  these  stores. 

Many  college  students,  and  even  high  school  students,  are 
encouraged  while  attending  school,  to  work  part-time  in  busi- 
ness houses  where  their  work  may  be  observed.  A  good  many 
are  placed  in  this  way,  and  remain  permanently.^ 

6.  Reinstatement 

Numerous  concerns  depend  somewhat  upon  their  former 
employees,  and  try,  whenever  possible,  to  reinstate  them.  The 
employment  office  of  the  United  Cigar  Stores  follows  this 
practice  extensively.  They  have  had  remarkable  success  with 
it  too.  In  seventeen  years,  the  majority  of  the  men  who  have 
left  the  concern,  have  made  application  to  be  reinstated,  and 
have  been  re-employed.  Former  employees  of  365  of  these 
stores  who  returned  from  the  war,  were  eventually  put  back 
to  work. 

7.  List  of  Applicants 

The  practice  of  sending  for  applicants  who  have  made 
applications,  but  could  not  be  placed  at  the  time  of  the  inter- 
view, is  a  good  one.  One  large  chain-store  company,  having 
stores  all  over  the  country,  keeps  an  application  file  of  appli- 
cants and  continues  to  keep  in  touch  with  nearly  every  man 
in  the  country  who  has  once  applied  for  a  position.  A  certain 
department  store,  on  the  other  hand,  does  not  keep  an  applica- 
tion on  file,  because  weeks  or  months  may  elapse  before  they 
would  have  need  for  the  applicant's  services.  This,  they  claim, 
is  done  out  of  fairness  to  the  applicant  and  the  employer  for 
whom  he  may  be  working.  Should  they  promise  to  keep  a 
person's  application  on  file  and  send  for  him  later,  they  might 
innocently  be  guilty  of  labor  piracy. 


^  For    a    more    extended    dipcupsion    of    department    store    educational    work,    see 
'Economics   of    Retailing,"    by    1  aul    H.    Nystrom,    Ronald    Press    Company,    1919. 


METHODS   OF   SECURING   OFFICE  HELP  265 

An  exception  to  the  rule  is  a  department  store  within 
which  certain  departments  are  subject  to  seasonal  fluctuations. 
In  this  store,  sales  clerks  of  millinery  and  furs,  and  girls 
acting  as  models  or  designers,  during  the  period  of  "layoff" 
will  work  in  shops  or  find  other  employment  at  less  pay  to  tide 
themselves  over;  and  these  workers  are  re-employed  or  rein- 
stated at  the  beginning  of  a  season. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

ENGAGING  OFFICE  EMPLOYEES 

Analyzing  the  Job 

In  Chapter  VIII,  we  have  already  covered  the  reasons  that 
necessitate  job  analyses,  and  we  need  not  go  over  the  ground 
again,  except  in  so  far  as  job  analyses  of  the  office,  store,  or 
bank,  differ  from  those  of  the  industrial  plant.  In  certain 
respects,  the  difference  is  considerable.  Following  are  several 
typical  analyses  for  office  positions. 

Accountant 

Kindred  Occupation.    Auditor;  cost  accountant. 

Description.  The  accountant  makes  a  thorough  study  and  analysis 
of  the  business  and  devises  and  installs  the  forms  of  books  and 
accounts  best  adapted  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  concern.  Once 
a  satisfactory  system  has  been  put  into  operation,  the  accountant 
oversees  the  general  bookkeeping  force  and  makes  up  statements 
of  results  when  required.  He  interprets  the  results  shown  by 
the  financial  statements  and  prepares  such  special  statements  as 
are  needed. 

Qualifications.  Should  be  familiar  with  general  office  practice  and 
should  have  an  analytical  mind.  Should  have  executive  ability 
and  be  mentally  alert.  Should  have  graduated  from  an  ac- 
countancy school  of  recognized  standing,  or  have  had  equivalent 
experience. 

Schooling.     High  School;  higher  education  desirable. 

Auditor 

Description.  The  auditor  checks  up  the  work  of  the  bookkeepers, 
reconciles  accounts,  takes  trial  balances,  and  gets  the  books  in 
shape  for  making  the  statements  and  analysis  sheets  of  the 
business.     He  prepares  an  official  statement  of  the  condition  of 

266 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  267 

the  books  and  is  responsible  for  the  accuracy  of  this  statement. 
He  helps  the  accountant  make  up  new  forms  or  change  existing 
forms. 

Qualifications.  Should  be  familiar  with  general  office  and  ac- 
countancy practice.  Should  be  mentally  alert  and  should  have  an 
analytical  mind.  Should  have  graduated  from  an  accountancy 
school  of  recognized  standing,  or  have  had  equivalent  experience. 

Schooling.    High  school;  higher  education  desirable. 

Comptometer  Operator 

Kindred  Occupation.    Calculating  machine  operator. 

Description.  The  comptometer  operator  manipulates  the  comptom- 
eter, a  non-listing  calculating  machine  used  in  making  various 
computations. 

Qualifications.  Carefulness,  accuracy,  manipulative  skill.  Course 
in  comptometer  operation. 

Schooling.    Common  school,  preferably  high  school. 

Credit  Man 

Description.  The  credit  man  investigates  the  financial  standing 
and  reputation  of  customers,  and  passes  upon  the  extent  of 
credit  to  be  advanced  them;  approves  or  rejects  charge  sales. 

Qualifications.  He  should  be  familiar  with  the  commercial  agency 
ratings  and  be  able  to  read  reports  and  statements  correctly  and 
intelligently.  Should  have  some  accountancy  training  and  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  credit  instruments.  He  should  have  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  trade  and  financial  conditions,  have  keen 
business  insight,  should  be  a  good  judge  of  men,  possess  tact, 
have  a  good  memory  and  be  thorough. 

Schooling.    High  school. 

File  Clerk 

Description.  The  file  clerk  files  away  for  safekeeping  letters  and 
other  papers,  and  finds  them  promptly,  when  they  are  needed. 

Qualifications.  Should  have  had  some  general  office  experience  and 
be  familiar  with  the  various  filing  systems.  Should  be  a  keen 
observer,  a  quick  thinker,  possess  a  good  memory  and  a  mind 
for  detail.  Should  be  thoroughly  conscientious,  accurate,  and 
alert. 

Schooling.    Common  school ;  standard  course  in  filing,  or  equivalent. 


268  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

Statistical  Clerk 

Description.  The  statistical  clerk  compiles,  checks,  corrects,  and 
tabulates  statistical  data  and  performs  other  statistical  or  inci- 
dental clerical  work. 

Qualifications.  Should  have  had  some  experience  in  statistical  work. 
Should  understand  the  use  of  one  or  more  electrical  and  me- 
chanical computing  machines.    Accuracy;  manipulative  skill. 

Schooling.    High  school;  courses  in  statistical  methods. 

Stenographer 

Kindred  Occupation.    Typist. 

Description.  The  stenographer  records  dictation  in  shorthand, 
which  is  later  transcribed  on  the  typewriter. 

Qualifications.  Intelligence ;  mental  alertness ;  good  memory ;  care- 
fulness; neatness;  should  have  graduated  in  stenography  and 
typewriting  from  a  school  of  good  standing;  special  courses  in 
English  grammar,  spelling,  and  punctuation. 

Schooling.     Common  school;  preferably  high  school. 

When  the  analyses  of  all  positions  have  been  completed, 
they  should  be  collected  in  a  card  index  file  and  placed  in  the 
employment  office.  Each  interviewer  then  has  at  his  disposal 
the  information  necessary  for  effective  selection. 

Though  these  analyses  are  a  mental  aid  to  the  employment 
manager,  he  must  spend  enough  time  around  the  store  or  office 
to  learn  something  of  the  variety  of  work  and  the  special 
characteristics  of  people  required.  In  the  department  stores, 
where  sales  clerks  are  hired  for  many  different  departments 
and  counters,  the  matter  of  physical  appearance,  temperament, 
and  training  required,  varies  widely.  In  such  cases,  the  anal- 
ysis of  the  position  must  be  supplemented  by  actual  investiga- 
tion by  the  employment  manager. 

The  Preliminary  Interview 

The  preliminary  interview  has  been  discussed  in  Chapter 
X,  but  it  is  again  brought  up  here  for  two  reasons:  First,  a 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  269 


INTERVIEW  SHEET 

Date 


Position  applied  for 

Name : 

Address Home  Telephone  No 

Introduced  by 

Do  you  know  any  one  in  the  Bank? Nationality 

Have  you  any  relatives  in  the  Bank  ? Religion 

Age 3^:8 mos.  Height.  . .  .ft in.     Weight lbs. 

Single — Married.     How  many  dependent  upon  you  for  support? 

Father  Born  (Country  or  State) Mother  bom  in 

Are  you  an  American  citizen? What  foreign  languages  can  you 

speak? 

What  education  have  you  had? 

If  working:  a.  Give  name  of  employer 

b.  Position  occupied 

c.  Why  do  you  wish  to  leave? 

d.  Present  salary 

If  not  working:  a.  Where  were  you  last  employed? 

b.  Why  did  you  leave? 

c.  Position  occupied? 

d.  Salary  received? 

What  is  the  minimum  salary  you  will  accept? 

Experience: 


(If  you  wish  to  make  any  additional  remarks,  use  the  back  of  this  form) 


Figure  72.     Interview  Sheet.     (Size  6^  x  9)^.) 


2/0  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

great  deal  more  importance  attachesJ;o  the  preliminary  inter- 
view  in  a  business  house  than  in  an  industrial  plant;  and 
second,  the  type  of  interview  and  the  kind  of  questions  to  be 
asked  are  vastly  different. 

Figure  'J2  illustrates  the  type  of  interview  sheet  which  may 
be  presented  to  an  applicant.  If  this  form  is  not  used  in  the 
preliminary  interview,  substantially  the  same  questions  may 
be  asked  of  the  applicant  orally. 

The  preliminary  interviewer  acts  as  a  "shock  absorber," 
as  it  were,  to  the  main  interviewer,;  he  should  relieve  the  appli- 
cant of  embarrassment  and  make  him  feel  at  ease.  But  if  the 
applicant  is  to  be  eliminated  from  further  consideration,  the 
preliminary  interviewer  disposes  of  him  with  tact  and  dispatch. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  leave  the  preHminary  interviewing  to 
watchman  or  office  boy,  who  may  offend  by  curtness  or 
overinquisitiveness.  The  atmosphere  of  the  waiting-room 
should  be  informal  and  inviting,  so  that  every  faculty  of  ex- 
pression possessed  by  the  applicant  may  be  encouraged.  The 
period  of  waiting  for  the  final  interview  should  be  no  longer 
than  necessary.  Protracted  waiting  produces  in  many  people 
a  state  of  suspense,  nervous  tension,  and  uncertainty.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  pleasant  reaction  created  by  a  warm,  friendly, 
and  prompt  reception  will  operate  to  offset  the  demoralizing 
effect  of  nervousness  to  such  an  extent  that  the  applicant  will 
give  free  play  to  his  thoughts  and  expression. 

Value  of  Preliminary  Interview 

The  value  of  the  preliminary  interview  is  illustrated  by  the 
statement  of  the  employment  manager  of  one  of  this  country's 
largest  department  stores: 

We  allow  all  applicants  for  positions  to  fill  out  application 
blanks  and  we  accord  everybody  the  courtesy  of  at  least  a 
brief  interview.     The  only  exceptions  are  those  who   are 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  271 

physically  unfit,  grossly  stupid  or  ignorant,  intoxicated,  or 
those  who  are  unable  to  speak  English.  There  are  certain 
positions  where  we  are  able  to  use  people  who  do  not  speak 
English.  In  such  cases,  we  send  for  someone  from  our 
interpreter's  force  who  helps  them  fill  out  their  applications. 
We  insist  upon  courtesy  being  extended  to  all,  both  before 
and  after  they  enter  our  employ.  Some  people  may  argue 
that  it  is  wasteful  to  allow  anybody  to  fill  out  an  application 
blank,  but  the  cost  is  little  or  nothing  compared  to  the  results 
obtained  and  the  time  saved.  It  has  been  our  experience 
that  the  average  applicant  wastes  a  great  deal  of  our  time 
if  we  see  fit  to  grant  him  an  interview  before  he  has  filled 
out  an  application  blank.  After  interviewing  the  applicant 
and  studying  the  completed  blank,  it  is  only  a  matter  of  a 
few  minutes  before  we  can  decide  whether  he  will  make  a 
desirable  employee  or  not. 

The  Final  Interview 

If  the  applicant  comes  through  the  preliminary  interview 
successfully,  he  should  be  given  a  final  application  form  which 
embodies  more  detail  than  does  the  interview  sheet.  Figures 
73a,  b,  and  c  are  excellent  examples  of  such  sheets  now  in 
use  by  large  concerns. 

When  the  applicant  has  filled  out  one  of  the  application 
blanks  mentioned,  he  is  ready  for  final  interview. 

In  the  larger  institutions  the  main  or  final  interview  is 
conducted  by  a  trained  staff  of  interviewers,  who  dispose  of 
the  great  majority  of  cases  unaided,  referring  only  exceptional 
cases  to  the  employment  or  personnel  manager.  In  the  smaller 
establishments  the  employment  manager  is  likely  to  see  each 
of  the  applicants  personally.  The  National  City  Bank  of  New 
York  employs  a  staff  of  interviewers,  four  men  and  one 
woman,  besides  the  head  of  the  employment  department,  who 
is  also  assistant  personnel  director.  The  woman  confines  her 
interviewing  to  women  applicants,  a  common  custom  in  busi- 
ness houses. 


^I^.  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE.    BANK 


Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company 


▲PPUCATION  FOR  POSITION 


I  betebjr  apply  for  a 
therewith  sUte  the  foUoving: 


poritka  with  th«  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company,  and  in  connectioa 


1.  NameinfuD „...._ — — 

3.  Age 

4.  Date  of  Birth 

5.  Place  of  Birth 

6.  Parents'  Nationality 

7.  Married  or  Single. 
'     Widowed  or  Divorced 

8.  Number  of  Dependents 

9.  RelaUonsbip  of  Dependents 

10.  Give  names  of  two  former 

Name 

Address. 


-  School  Superintendents  and.  two  personal  references. 
Name 


.Address. 


Occupation 

In  what  way  did  you  become 
1  with  him? 


..Occupation „ 

In  what  way  did  you 
..     arqiiaintfd  with  him ?. 


Name.... 

Address. 

Occupation 
~  \  what  wa 

acquainted  with  him? 

11 


JIame 

. „.„...JUldress , 


In  what  way  did  you  become 

•      -     thl 


..Occupation 

In  what  way  did  youliecome 
„     acquainted  with  him?- 


Prbvious  Emplovmbnt. 


Wkr  Did  Ym  Xxtmt 


12.  Are  you  related  to  any  one  now  in  the  employ  of  this  Company?    If  so,  give  name  and  Division. 


Figure  73.     (a)  Application  for  Position  Blank  Developed 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES 


273 


RuHWSckMl 

tfm 

T» 

TMim 

On4^ 

" 

CoUege 

Bu^ess  School... 



: 



Correspondence  .. 
Niftht  School 

14.  What  studies  were  you  most  interested  la? '. , j 

15.  If  you  have  bad  experience  or  training  in  any  spedal  Idsd  of  work,  such  as  accounting,  correspondence, 

stenography,  typing,  dictaphone  operation,  adding  or  calculating  machine  operation,  specify  fully 
nrbat  it  is,  and  the  amount  of  training  you  have  had < 


16.  Have  you  a  preference  for  any  special  kind  of  work? .v 

17.  Of  what  church,  clubs,  teams  or  other  o^gaoizataoos  are  yon  or  have  yoa  been  a  member? 


18.  Do  you  live  with  parents  or  other  relatives,  board,  rent,  or  own  your  own  home?.. 


19.  Why  are  you  seeking  employment  with  this  Company?.. 


20.  What  have  you  been  doing  for  the  last  three  years  in  time  not  accounted  for  under  Education  or 
Employment? „. 


In  order  that  the  Metiopolltaii  Ufe  Iimraaoe  Coopuy  may  be  tvOf  faitaniMd  as  to  my  perHnal  cfaancter  sad  my 
VnUficatkoi  f cr  cinployment.  I  refer  to  each  of  my  tanner  employers  and  to  any  other  perions  who  may  have  inf  onnation  coocemfatc 
me,  requcstint  them  to  fumuh  to  said  Company  a  full  transcript  of  their  record  at  my  service  with  them  or  any  infonna- 
tko  they  may  have  concerning  me,  particularly  as  to  my  personal  character,  habits  and  ability,  also  the  cause  of  my  leaving 
their  employ,  agreeing,  as  this  infonnatioa  is  furnished  at  my  express  request  and  for  my  beneSt,  to  hold  such  persons  harmless, 
and  I  do  hereby  release  theiQ  from  any  and  all  liability  for  damage  at  whatsoever  nature  on  acooont  of  furnishing  such  informatioa. 
I  also  agree  that  a  full  transcript  of  my  recoid  as  an  employee,  ialonnatioa  as  tn  nty  pcnonal  character,  baUts  and  abUity,  also 
the  cause  of  my  leaving  the  service,  may  b«  given  lay  Ipetida  with  WbOiA  I  b^  BtMsftcT  ««drc»ploriAait,  and  I  boeby  ideas* 
the  Metropolitan  Life  Iiuar«oce  Company  troo  any  sad  all  liaMBty  tedamacw  of  wtetsecver  oatnre  on  aooount  of  fnnisliiBt 


Uttar  of  ^pUeation  attacbcd. 


by  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company.  [  (Size  8  x  io}i) 


274  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


APPUCATION 

FOR 

EMPLOYMENT                                              (P5«,  /f                                               3 
usT  BE  answered; ~  ~ 


^  Jf  .JW  ¥  4>.     -  k 


EACH    QUESTION    MUST 
UNTRUTHFUL    STATEMENTS    WILL    CAUSE     REJECTION    OF    YOUR    APPLICATION 


I /ACCURATELY    AND    FULLY 
TION 


J>*t«  of  bolL. 


Adihm- 


_Ha«r  long  lunre  JTMI  Inretl  at  dm  addKML. 


G^- 


\r    Pr(viou«i.y    Employed   Sivi    Namis   and    adb«isse«   In   Consicutive   Order 


NAME  OF   LAST   EMPkOnmi 


->osmoM  rou  I 


eMPlX>VER    BCrOil*   Mo.   z 


mmrtxftwK  ■■roMi  Mo.  » 


I  srActs  aELOw 


HONESTV.  CH< 


Ksim^TrewA«BrTt«~«" 


HO    CAN  VOUCH   FOM  VOUH 


IMPORTANT 


.UWT  TCACMOrS  MAMK. 


DO   NOT  WRITE   BELOW  THIS   LINE  OR  ON   OTHER  SIDE  OF  PAPER 


IteSMttM  Mauftrar  IIm4  •!  D*r««MatT*  WkM  TUs  H*w  ed^ltj*  l<  SmL  WH  Eidm.  nu  Sly  wl  ficttn  K  I^edUMjr  U  ttat  TI«kMp«-f  ( 


Figure  73.     (b)  Application  for  Employment  Form 


ENGAGING   OFFICE  EMPLOYEES  275 


EMPLOYES'  AGREEMENT 

New  Yoik. 191 

It  b  hereby  understood  and  agreed,  that  I  enter  the  employ  o(  ^i3iC4Ly9^ 
widt  the  distiact  imderttuidiog  that  my  employment  may  be  tenninated  by  them  on  any  day  without 
previimt  notice.  I  being  likewise  at  liberty  to  terminate  this  agreement  in  the  same  manner.  I  promise 
to  obaetre  aB  dte  rale*  of  the  store,  and  faithfully  to  perform  whatever  duties  may  be  assigned  to 
me,  and  agree  to  report  to  my  superior*  (should  it  come  to  my  notice)  the  name  of  any  person 
injuring  or  defacing  the  building  or  the  property  of  the  6nn,  or  committing  any  act  of  dishonesty. 

I  also  agree  to  become  a  member  of  the  "Macy  Mutual  Aid  Association"  and  1  hereby 
authorize  and  empower  the  firm  for  me  and  in  my  behalf  to  pay  the  treatwer  of  the  "Macy  Mutual 
Aid  Associatjon"  the  dues  of  a  member  assessed  upon  me,  subject  to  its  regulation*  or  any  aneara 
thereof,  and  to  deduct  the  same  from  any  wages  or  salaries  due  to  me  at  the  end  of  any  week. 

To  a!  ei  dte  abofc  1  faDy  agree,  without  any  reservabons  whataoever. 


Dtpt,. 


;  ArrucANT  wbju  not  be  hired  imless  this  form  is  properly  filleo  out. 
REFERENCE  TO  DEPARTMENT  MANAGER. 


TkM  appBrsnt  is  scM  from  the  office  0(  the  Emplojrnwnt  Mana(er               Due- 
To  sec— — — Dept- 


Picas*  answer  (be  ioUowinc  and  return  to  the  Office  of  the  Employment  Manaeer.       (Signed). 

r?. 


If  DM  state  why. 
Work  to  begin  _ 


Salarr  pociboa  is  worth. 

RcMfki 


RECORD  OF  TRAINING  AND  CONTINUATION  CLASS  STUDENTS. 

, Continuation  Clau  F"«" 


iT*anJe_ 
Ucswn 


T.  C  Earn. 

Period  o{  Study:-   From. 


Developed  by  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company.     (Size  8  x  123^.) 


276  EMPLOYING  FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


(FOR  STORE'S  USE) 


APPLICATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT 


NEW  EMPLOYEE 
REINSTATEMENT 

iduiing  at 


Dale. 


-192 


.herewith  apply  for  posibon 


with  Xnitf  b  OHi^ar  Starts  (Somttanti  of  Amrrira. 

Below  in  my  handwribng  pleaie  find  Absolute  facts  for  last  10  years  legarding 


my  past  life. 
Bom  at 


-Age- 


.Years.  Nationality  &  Descent. 


Manied  or  Single- 
Other  dependents. 


.Wife  Eving. 


^Childten- 


Related  to  any  one  widi  Company  and  whom. 
Debu  (give  full  details) 


IIOTE:-Vey   must  aeceunt  for  •■eh   utt4  •nty    •mploymant   •van    ifumiurafy  or  for   only  ■•few  day*-to 

•r 

eo«or  onUro  ported  of  lut  10  yMira,  tUtIng  limo  (gKlnr  aiicl  months  and  ytan;  consult  ptrMoal  racorDi  «r  gtt  this 

0 

IF  IN  BUtlNEtS  FOR   YOURSELF  GIVE  MHES  AND  ADDRESSES  OF  SUBSUNTIAU  PERSONS  OR  CONCERNS  WITH  WHOM 

* 

•WllutJwi  will  net  b*  CDOitdortd. 

TIME  OF  SERVICE 

EMPLOYEQ 
AS 

UST 
SAL. 

NAME  OF  EMPLOYER 

OR  CORPORATION  ANO 

PRESENT  ADDRESS 

SUPERIOR  OFFICERS 
NAME  AND  PRESENT  ADDRESS 

F«- 

TO 

lEAVINO 

-■ootk 

M»tk 

Ttir 

19 

19.- 

'"""**" 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19..-.. 

19 

19.- 

19 

19 

19.-. 

19 

J»-^ 

Figure  73.     (c)  Application  and  Employment  Agreement  Used 


ENGAGING  OFFICE  EMPLOYEES  V7 


O)  W»t  jl  iliTiij  111  h«t«  befcre.  cr  did  riB  ctct  a»ke  pctrtoi  ipplUaUoo/, 

(2)       Proa  «bUdiMMC*ta«nyaaHScnddoria|r  roar  Uf<  doc? 

(J)       b  io«r  cy«j(M  tood? SiMe  il  yoo  wtar  kImms^ 

(4)  -Savt  jraa  •  npnn  «  aay  ether  ddaraitici,  or  hn*  joa  bad  anj  base*  bn 

(J)        Hm«  JO*  *»«  been  opcntcd  aixm:  U  to.  for  wh«t» 

(O       b  thcf«  aav  tabercBknto  (cwMiiiiiptiM)  ia  to«»  Ua&fi 


(7)        Bw  (ay  •ppintkm  mMb  hfttniot^  poaitioa  mr  boo  tei*elcd  oa  ■eeaa 

(I)       Baw  »o«  ewT  loM  or  left  a  poaitiOD  oo  accoont  o(  yoor  bcaltW 

(9)        Baa  aaj  appUcadoo  made  by  jtw  far  iasanne*  cm  bcra  rejectad? 


(11)  Ban*  yoa  aowor  hare  jpo*  eaw  bad  any  traoble  witb  your  f«M? 

(12)  la  there  any  naaoa  why  yop  UKmld  act  work  iadoora  (or  tbia  Coapaay? _ 

To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  the  foregoing  statements  are  correct  and  cemptet*. 
Medical  Dept Signature  of  applicant 


CLERICS  RECEIPT  FOR  BUTTON  AND  MANUAL 

TUa  k  t>  omKitt  <k>t  I  ^*^  ">>•  ^1  nceirad  from  the  Doited  Cigar  Stores  Compiay  of  Ametiea  one  Pin  or  Lapel  Bottoo  ia  the  farm 
of  a  shield,  beariaf  thereoa  the  emblem  or  tradc-iaarfc  o(  the  United  Ci(ar  Stores  Company  o(  Anxrica.  which  I  agree  ia  consideration  oCmy 
employaieat  by  the  United  Qgar  Stores  Company  of  America  U>  wear  conspicnoosly  at  all  times  while  on  doty  in  any  store  of  the  United  Q|ar 

Stores  Company  of  America,  and  Copy  No. of  the  United  Ogv  Stores  Company  of  America  llannal,  it  being  nnderstood  by  me  that 

each  Pin  or  Batton  and  Manoal  are  bow  and  are  to  remain  at  all  times  the  property  of  said  United  Cigar  Surea  Company  of  America,  being 
loaned  to  ae:  and  I  fnither  agree  to  tnm  over  and  deliver  said  Batton  and  ICanul  to  the  District  Sales  Manager  in  charge  of  the  District  in 
which  1  am  employed  or  any  officer  of  the  Company  or  to  the  Employment  Department  npon  demand.  I  do  farther  agree  that  oa  qoittiag  the 
acrvioe  of  the  United  Cigar  Storea  Company  of  America,  either  TOlontanly  or  involontanly  for  any  reason  or  cause  whatsoever,  I  will  sorreader 
each  Pin  or  Bnttoo  and  Manoal.  as  aforesaid,  in  good  cooditioa  withoat  a  demaad  therefor.  I  do  farther  agree  that  without  regard  la  aay  other 
reaKdy  which  the  said  Company  may  have  in  the  event  of  my  failore  or  refaial  to  snrreoder  said  Pin  or  Batru.  it  any  retain  out  of  .sU  mooeya 
dae  or  to  grow  doe  to  me  for  salary  or  otherwise,  the  sam  of  25  cents  for  each  Batton  received  by  me  and  not  returned  to  the  said  Compaay, 


It  is  farther  aadersioed  by  sie  that  sach  Pia  or  Buttoa  coalers  no  aathority  or  power  of  aay  kind  wfastsoerer  apoa  any  pcrsoa  by  akoai  it 
ea   and  that  the  said  Batton  is  act  ia  aay  aianner  intended  to  confer  any  snch  aathirity  or  power. 


Signature - 


EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT 

I  hereby  accept  emjioymeot  with  the  Uaited  Cigar  Stores  Company  of  .imerica  aiuVor  sach  of  its  Associate  aiKl  Snlavliary  Compaawe 
Mch  I  may  from  lime  to  tioM  be  assigned,  sad  agree  to  perlom  snch  duties  as  may  from  time  to  tiaw  be  sssigne«l  to  mc.  and  do  also  agree 
my  compensation  is  to  be  sach  aa  may  be  determiced   from  time  to  timf  by  the  Company,  or  any  of  iu  officers  or  the  Bmploymeat 


My  cmploymeat  is  by  the  day  ooly  and  may  be  terminated  at  aay  ttaie  withoat  cause  or 
adofXed  by  the  Company  from  time  to  time,  frhich  I  agree  to  ba  boaad  by  aad  comply  with. 


In  presence  of .  srgaature  otApplisant . 


Employing  Officer  or  Olstriet  Sales  Manager 
W^  Position  as \ —  Salary per  week 


DISTRICT  SALES   MANAGER  WILL  FILE  THIS  APPLICATION   IN   HEADQUARTERS   AND 
IP  APPLICANT  IS^EMPLOYKn  MUST  ATTACH  f  HIS  REPORT  TO  COMPLETEU  i>AWKS 


by  United  Cigar  Stores  Company  of  America.     (Size  83^  x  13  M-) 


278 

Every  applicant  to  this  concern  must  be  referred  to  the 
head  of  the  employment  department  for  final  approval  after 
passing  through  the  hands  of  an  interviewer.  If  the  position 
to  be  filled  is  in  the  executive  ranks,  the  personnel  director 
may  wish  to  pass  on  the  applicant's  qualifications  himself. 
Consequently,  every  applicant  for  prompt  placement  is  inter- 
viewed by  at  least  two  persons,  while  in  exceptional  cases  a 
third  interview  is  necessary.  Unless  there  is  a  possibility  of 
immediate  placement,  the  applicant  merely  fills  out  the  pre- 
liminary interview  sheet,  which  is  filed  for  future  reference. 

The  final  interviewer,  in  a  department  store  particularly, 
must  often  go  much  further  than  merely  to  ask  questions  and 
interpret  answers.  In  such  a  store  nothing  will  take  so  much 
from  an  applicant's  chances  for  employment  as  an  untidy  or 
slovenly  appearance,  unless  it  is  the  cheap  gaudiness  of  flashy 
clothes,  combined  with  a  free  use  of  cosmetics.  Overdressed 
men  and  women  who  apply  to  business  houses  for  positions 
wonder  why  they  are  not  accepted.  A  man,  for  instance,  will 
come  into  the  office  with  a  cigar  butt  in  one  hand,  the  other 
hand  in  his  pocket,  and  his  hat  tilted  back  on  his  head.  He 
wonders  why  he  is  not  given  an  application  form,  and  becomes 
peevish  when  told  as  tactfully  as  possible  that  there  are  no 
vacancies  in  his  line. 


An  Ingenious  Method 

The  manner  of  dressing  the  hair,  the  poise  of  the  head, 
etc.,  for  instance,  count  for  much  in  saleswomen.  One  store 
in  sizing  up  an  applicant  uses  an  ingenious  method  which 
enables  the  interviewer  to  get  a  front,  side,  and  back  view 
of  the  person  without  embarrassment  to  either.  This  is  accom- 
plished by  the  aid  of  mirrors  placed  in  such  a  position  that 
the  observation  is  made  during  the  interview  without  the  appli- 
cant being  aware  of  the  arrangement.     (See  Figure  74.) 


ENGAGING   OFFICE    EMPLOYEES 


279 


28o  EMPLOYING   FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

For  example :  Dorothy  Smith  is  mterviewed  for  the  posi- 
tion of  saleswoman  in  the  veil  department.  All  details  of  her 
features,  hair,  and  manner  of  expression  are  taken  in  by  the 
trained  eye  of  the  interviewer  with  the  aid  of  this  mirror 
arrangement  The  interviewer  may  find  her  acceptable  in  the 
main  points  of  qualification,  but  lacking  in  some  minor  dress 
detail,  which  may  be  corrected  after  attention  is  tactfully  called 
to  it  by  one  of  the  women  attendants  in  the  employment  office. 

Authority  Centralized 

As  in  hiring  laborers  and  mechanics,  the  task  of  employing 
office  and  store  help  should  be  centralized  in  the  employment 
department.  This  is  true  even  though  the  department  head 
in  business  houses,  like  the  foreman  in  industrial  plants,  has 
been  prone  to  believe  that  he  could  build  a  better  organization 
if  left  free  to  do  his  own  hiring  and  firing.  He  went  on  the 
principle  that  the  employee's  realization  of  the  absolute  power 
of  his  superior  over  the  entrances  and  exits  of  business,  created 
a  consciousness  of  the  necessity  for  making  good  at  once  that 
would  not  obtain  when  the  employment  department  had  this 
authority. 

The  protection  afforded  the  employee  by  an  employment 
department  does  not  reduce  the  disciplinary  influence  of  the 
department  head.  Where  the  work  involves  technical  or  special 
training,  however,  the  department  head  should  be  consulted 
before  a  man  is  hired.  By  reason  of  experience  and  associa- 
tion with  employees  who  he  knows  would  be  best  suited  for 
his  department,  he  is,  of  course,  able  to  draw  out  the  special 
knowledge  they  possess.  Business  firms  are  no  different  from 
industrial  plants  in  this  regard.  If  there  is  any  doubt  in  the 
mind  of  the  employment  manager  about  a  selection,  he  should 
arrange  to  have  the  department  head  pass  on  the  applicant. 
Indeed  many  firms  still  insist  that  the  executive  heads  approve 
all  selections  for  their  departments. 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  281 

Use  and  Abuse  of  Centralized  Power 

Two  incidents,  both  of  which  actually  occurred,  illustrate 
briefly  and  vividly  the  usefulness  and  the  possible  abuse  of 
centralized  employment  power. 

The  first  incident  occurred  in  an  organization  which  was 
not  convinced  that  an  employment  department  would  justify 
its  expense.  Its  executives  struck  upon  the  unique  scheme  oi 
sending  around  by  messenger  the  brief  application  form  which 
the  applicant  filled  out  at  the  request  of  an  information  clerk, 
and  addressed  it  to  the  different  heads  in  whose  departments 
there  was  the  kind  of  work  the  applicant  was  seeking.  The 
department  heads  reviewed  the  application  form,  and,  if  in- 
terested, requested  that  the  applicant  be  sent  up  for  an  inter- 
view. It  was  a  common  occurrence  for  a  man  to  go  through 
as  many  as  five  interviews — among  which  were  usually  one 
or  two  "third  degrees" — ^before  he  was  finally  hired  or  re- 
jected. The  practice  was  at  length  discredited  when  investiga- 
tion disclosed  that  department  heads  were  daily  wasting  hours 
in  useless  interviewing — some  of  them  taking  advantage  of 
this  opportunity  to  discharge  and  replace  whenever  a  new  face 
particularly  appealed  to  them.  One  fickle  department  head 
seemed  to  delight  in  this  pastime  and  seldom  held  a  man  long 
enough  for  him  to  learn  the  job. 

The  second  incident  illustrates  the  abuse  which  an  ineffi- 
cient employment  manager  may  make  of  his  power ;  it  argues, 
not  against  the  centralization  of  the  employing  power,  but 
against  centralizing  it  in  the  hands  of  a  tactless  executive. 

An  aggressive  salesman  who  had  worked  in  the  book 
department  of  the  Wanamaker  store,  Philadelphia,  sought  a 
position  in  a  Cleveland  department  store.  On  his  way  through 
their  book  department  he  remarked  that  there  was  much  room 
for  improvement  in  the  arrangement  of  the  stock  and  the 
quality  of  service  afforded  customers.  Going  to  the  employ- 
ment manager,  he  suggested  that  his  experience  in  that  line 


282  EMPLOYING   FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

qualified  him  to  bring  about  some  very  much  needed  changes. 
The  employment  manager,  apparently  hypnotized  by  the  appli- 
cant's persuasive  manner  into  a  forgetfulness  of  his  obligation 
to  the  head  of  the  book  department  (who  had  not  said  that 
he  needed  any  help  there),  hired  the  applicant  on  the  spot, 
telling  him  to  report  for  work  the  following  morning.  The 
young  man  reported  early  and  made  short  shift  of  putting 
into  effect  his  theories  in  regard  to  the  arrangement  of  the 
stock.  Indeed,  he  had  one  counter  entirely  rearranged  by 
the  time  the  department  head  arrived.  This  extraordinary 
activity  on  the  part  of  an  apparent  stranger  led  the  department 
head  to  inquire  of  the  young  man  the  nature  of  his  assignment, 
and  who  was  responsible  for  hiring  him  to  do  that  work. 
The  salesman  explained  that  the  employment  manager  had 
hired  him  on  the  strength  of  representations  made  as  to  his 
ability  and  past  experience  in  that  particular  line.  The  irate 
department  head  vented  his  displeasure  by  dismissing  the  new 
employee  on  the  spot. 

There  was  nothing  for  the  employment  manager  to  do 
but  uphold  the  department  head's  action  and  deplore  his  own 
haste  in  assigning  the  applicant  to  a  position  without  observing 
the  procedure,  customary  in  that  store,  of  having  the  depart- 
ment heads  pass  upon  applicants  selected  for  them  by  the 
employment  manager. 

General  Methods  of  Selection 

Business  institutions  do  not  indorse  any  particular  methods 
of  character  reading.  (See  Chapter  XI,  "Picking  the  Right 
Man.")  Their  interviewers  generally  base  their  judgment  of 
personality  on  the  appearance  and  manner  of  a  clerk.  They 
observe  the  ordinary  precautions  in  discriminating  between 
the  fit  and  the  unfit,  dependence  being  placed  on  the  intuition 
and  ability  of  the  one  doing  the  selecting.    The  aim  is  to  find 


ENGAGING  OFFICE  EMPLOYEES  ^3 

out  how  closely  the  person's  qualifications  and  aptitudes  come 
to  meeting  the  requirements  of  the  job. 

Psychological  Tests 

In  the  matter  of  psychological  tests  (see  page  143),  how- 
ever, the  store,  office  and  bank,  wherever  possible,  are  includ- 
ing them  as  part  of  the  employment  scheme.  In  some  places 
absolute  dependence  is  placed  on  their  value,  an  employee's 
capability  being  graded  in  accordance  with  the  ratings  deduced 
from  the  test.  The  value  of  psychological  tests  in  business 
institutions  is  greater  than  their  value  in  industrial  plants,  inas- 
much as  the  qualifications  for  the  former  are  more  directly 
concerned  with  mental  equipment  and  general  intelligence. 

Business  institutions  try,  wherever  possible,  to  apply  these 
tests  to  the  applicants  collectively,  following  the  example  of 
the  army,  for  the  saving  in  time  it  allows.  In  one  organiza- 
tion, a  psychological  test  is  given  each  week  to  all  applicants 
who  have  been  approved  by  the  employment  department  since 
the  last  test.  The  applicants  are  called  together  in  a  class- 
room, and  at  the  outset  of  the  test  the  examiner  makes  a 
speech  for  the  purpose  of  alleviating  any  fright  on  the  part 
of  the  would-be  employees.  At  the  end  of  the  examination 
the  papers  are  gathered  up,  checked,  and  marked  with  the 
appropriate  ratings.  Some  institutions  feel  that  a  psychological 
test  of  the  usual  length  given  individually,  is  not  justifiable, 
considering  the  results  obtained,  but  that  where  it  is  possible 
to  give  the  test  en  masse,  for  the  purpose  of  grading  intel- 
ligence, it  may  be  found  worth  while. 

A  Combination  Test 

Certain  employment  managers  in  business  establishments 
feel  that  the  application  blank  itself  may  be  made  up  to  con- 
stitute a  sufficient  test.  The  employment  manager  of  one  of 
the  larger  trust  companies  claims  to  have  evolved  a  blank 


284  EMPLOYING   FOR  OFFICE.    STORE,    BANK 

form,  from  which  he  is  able  to  judge  with  sufficient  accuracy 
the  applicant's  qualifications  and  mental  ability  by  an  analysis 
of  the  finished  application. 

The  extent  to  which  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany is  committed  on  this  point  is  described  in  the  following 
excerpt  from  its  booklet,  "Welfare  Work": 

Entrance  into  the  Service 

The  care  of  the  company  begins  with  the  psychological 
examination  for  employment.  This  examination  was  pre- 
pared by  Professor  Thorndike  of  Columbia  University  and 
seeks  to  measure  the  mental  ability  of  the  applicant.  The 
examination  was  based  upon  a  careful  study  of  the  work 
required  in  the  various  divisions  of  the  Home  office,  in  the 
hope  of  placing  a  successful  applicant  at  the  work  for  which 
he  is  most  fitted.  The  tests  are  based  on  the  psychology  of 
association,  reaction  tests,  etc.  All  employees  entering  the 
clerical  service  of  the  company  at  its  home  office  are  given 
this  examination.  Inquiries  are  now  being  made  to  determine 
whether  this  examination  has  improved  standards. 

The  company  has  continued  a  contribution  of  $500  to  the 
Bureau  of  Salesmanship  Research,  affiliated  with  the  Carnegie 
Institute  of  Technology.  It  is  hoped  that  a  series  of  tests 
may  be  found  which  will  secure  for  us  a  high  grade  of 
employees  for  our  field  force  and  may  result  in  a  reduction 
of  the  labor  turnover.  It  is  hoped  that  by  such  tests,  persons 
best  qualified  for  the  business  will  be  selected. 

Occupational  Examination 

Some  business  houses,  considering  the  occupational  ex- 
amination more  practical  than  the  psychological  test,  use  it  in 
ascertaining  the  amount  of  ability  possessed  by  applicants  in 
the  line  of  work  they  represent.  (See  page  153,  "Trade 
Tests.")  Industrial  plants  rely  upon  the  trade  tests.  Business 
houses  use  the  equivalent  in  applying  the  "occupational  ex- 
amination," although  in  a  more  restricted  way,  because  of 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  285 

the  difficulty  in  making  up  an  examination  of  requisite  brevity 
that  will  adequately  qualify  salesmen,  purchasing  agents,  ad- 
vertising men,  etc.,  whose  duties  are  not  laid  out  by  route 
or  confined  within  limits  usually  ascribed  to  the  artisan  or 
tradesman  in  industry.  The  civil  service  under  the  govern- 
ment and  states  relies  wholly  upon  examinations;  with  what 
success,  however,  in  securing  the  best  qualified  persons  is  still 
a  debatable  question.  At  any  rate,  business  houses  have  not 
adopted  the  idea  except  for  such  work  as  is  performed  by  the 
stenographer,  the  correspondence  clerk,  and  possibly  some 
branches  of  common  clerical  work.  One  reason  for  this  is 
that  the  amount  of  time  and  effort  consumed  in  holding  the 
examinations,  rating  the  papers,  etc.,  renders  it  impracticable 
if  the  help  is  needed  at  once.  Stenographic  and  similar  tests, 
are,  however,  almost  a  necessity.  They  are  not  difficult  to 
conduct  and  they  practically  insure  that  all  who  pass  them 
are  of  the  required  standard  in  both  speed  and  accuracy.  In 
giving  these  tests  three  letters  are  dictated  at  the  rates  of 
60,  80,  and  120  words  per  minute  respectively,  and  the  grade 
depends  upon  the  proportion  of  misspelled  words,  omissions, 
and  typographical  errors  of  one  kind  and  another.  A  similar 
test,  with  the  shorthand  omitted,  is  given  dictaphone  operators 
whose  work  is  of  the  same  nature. 

Letter- Writing  Important 

The  Chase  National  Bank  has  incorporated  a  letter-writing 
test  as  part  of  the  application  blank,  and  all  who  apply  for 
clerical  work  must  demonstrate  their  ability  to  compose  an 
acceptable  letter  before  being  hired.  (See  Figure  75.)  This 
letter  is  used  in  choosing  and  promoting  help  already  employed 
as  well  as  men  whose  applications  are  on  file.  When  a  cor- 
respondence clerk  is  needed,  these  application  forms  are 
referred  to  first,  a  few  of  the  best  are  picked  out,  and  the 
employees  sent  for  and  given  a  competitive  test  in  letter-writ- 


286 


EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


THE   CHASE   NATIONAL   BANK 

OF   THE   OTY   OF   NEW   YORK 


AppKcation  for  Employment 


are  not  related'ftfll'm.    '^*^)  JiuulJ  lliu  uuuUlEolders  and' 
known  him  well  during  the  p»st  five  or  more  years. 
Hie  applicant  is  requested'  not  to  refer  to  any  officer  or  employee  of  the  serrtce  i 


HAM* 

ADDkSSS 

BUtlNUI 

•'••'~- 

■ 

I  hereby  certify  that  t*  the  best  of  my  knowledge  the  answers,  given  above  are  abaOltttd/  true' 
and  correct  in  tvery.  detail 


Signature 


On  the  next  page  Ibe  applicant  will 
write  a  letter  to  the  Bank  in  which  will  be 
set  forth  what  be  considers  his  own  qoalifi* 
cations  for  successful  work  in  the  baskiac 


Figtire  75.     Application  for  Employment  Incorporating  Letter-Writing  Test 
Used  by  Chase  National  Bank  of  New  York.     (Size  83^  x  1 1 .) 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  287 

ing,   the   result   determining  who   will   be  promoted  to   the 
vacancy. 

Mentality  Tests 

Tests  for  comptometer  machine  operators  are  generally 
used  successfully.  One  large  office,  employing  more  than 
3,000  people,  gives  trade  or  occupational  tests  for  clerks, 
stenographers,  etc.,  in  groups.  In  several  department  stores, 
occupational  examinations  for  junior  sales  clerks  are  made  up 
of  written  tests  in  elementary  mathematics,  covering  fractions, 
percentage,  decimals,  discounts,  etc.,  which  the  clerks  use  con- 
tinually in  their  work.  An  outline  of  these  pre-employment 
tests  as  practiced  in  the  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company  store,  and 
typical  of  those  used  in  many  places,  is  sketched  below. 

In  order  to  establish  a  minimum  standard  of  education 
for  those  entering  its  employ,  this  store  has  found  it  necessary 
to  give  tests  for  mentality,  involving  simple  problems  in 
arithmetic  and  questions  for  the  purpose  of  the  testing  the 
ability  to  use  the  written  and  oral  work.  In  addition  to 
mentality  tests,  tests  for  vision  are  required  of  the  following 
classes  of  applicants: 

1.  Section  managers  9.  Merchandise  markers 

2.  Stenographers  10.  Cashiers 

3.  Comptometer  operators  11.  Sales  clerks 

4.  Dictaphone  operators  12.  Drivers 

5.  Typists  13.  Wagon  boys 

6.  Receiving  clerks  14.  General  clerical  workers 

7.  Entry  clerks  15.  All  juniors 

8.  Merchandising  checkers 

Tests  for  color  are  required  only  by  those  who  apply  for 
work  in  departments  where  recognition  and  matching  of  colors 
is  essential. 


288  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

Mentality  tests  vary  slightly  in  accordance  with  the  work 
which  is  to  be  undertaken.  For  instance,  the  test  in  general 
dexterity  exacted  of  a  comptometer  operator,  is  similar  to  that 
exacted  of  a  typist,  for  both  classes  of  work  require  the  ability 
to  copy  rapidly  through  the  touch  system.  However,  these 
two  classes  of  work  differ  in  general  knowledge;  the  former 
involves  a  knowledge  of  figure  combinations,  while  the  latter 
involves  a  knowledge  of  letter  combinations. 

Tests  Should  Vary 

In  comparing  the  requirements  of  stenographers  and 
typists,  it  is  evident  that  the  stenographer  must  have  all  the 
requirements  of  the  first-class  typists,  plus  the  ability  to  take 
and  transcribe  dictation  at  a  given  rate.  Likewise  the  dicta- 
phone operator  is  a  typist  with  the  additional  quality  to 
transcribe  the  oral  word  as  reproduced  by  the  dictaphone. 

Tests  should  be  carefully  applied  to  each  class  of  applicants. 
Even  to  the  same  class  of  applicants,  different  tests  should 
be  administered,  if  necessary.  For  instance,  the  test  required 
of  a  sales  clerk  in  a  yard  goods  department  should  be  more 
difficult  in  arithmetic  than  the  test  required  of  a  sales  clerk 
in  a  cloak  and  suit  department  where  fractions  and  decimals 
will  rarely  be  met.  On  the  other  hand,  in  the  cloak  and  suit 
department  the  ability  to  express  thoughts  fluently  is  more 
essential.  The  last-mentioned  example  is  given  to  emphasize 
the  fact  that  the  same  test  should  not  be  given  for  different 
grades  of  the  same  work. 

Tests  Raise  the  Standard  of  Employees 

As  a  result  of  tests  such  as  those  mentioned  above,  it  is 
possible  to  install  training  classes  to  develop  employees  from 
a  fixed  minimum  standard  of  education  to  a  higher  standard. 
Were  tests  not  administered,  there  would  be  no  means  of 


ENGAGING   OFFICE   EMPLOYEES  289 

knowing  where  training  should  begin;  the  general  education 
of  employees  might  vary  from  a  very  low  standard  to  one 
which  is  desirable.  Under  the  test  system,  only  the  desirable 
applicants  are  employed.  The  employment  manager,  after 
carefully  examining  the  applicant  for  general  appearance,  suit- 
ability for  the  position,  and  recommendations,  sends  the  appli- 
cant to  the  department  of  training  for  mentality,  vision,  and 
other  tests.  If  the  applicant  fails  to  pass  these  tests,  although 
the  recommendations  are  satisfactory,  he  is  rejected.  Failure 
to  pass  the  vision  test  means  that  the  applicant  is  rejected 
until  his  vision  is  made  normal  by  the  use  of  suitable  glasses. 
If  the  applicant's  vision  is  beyond  adjustment  to  normal,  the 
test  is  final,  and  he  is  rejected  for  good. 

Business  Recommendations 

Before  an  employee  is  considered  permanent,  his  references 
are  usually  investigated.  Business  houses  in  general  apparently 
attach  considerable  importance  to  an  applicant's  past  history 
and  connections.  They  pay  little  attention  to  voluntary  recom- 
mendations, such  as  "To  whom  it  may  concern,"  promiscuously 
issued  to  an  applicant,  and  refuse  to  issue  that  sort  of  recom- 
mendation themselves.  The  practice  is  to  exchange  references 
directly  between  firms,  the  applicant  being  concerned  only  with 
naming  the  places  where  he  has  worked. 

Wherever  an  applicant's  previous  employers  can  be  reached 
in  person,  a  representative  of  the  firm  is  often  sent  out  to 
consult  them.  Many  concerns  go  over  an  applicant's  record 
for  the  ten  years  preceding  his  entrance  to  their  employ. 

Among  banking  institutions,  a  high  code  of  ethics  prevails 
regarding  the  hiring  of  employees.  A  bank  will  not  engage 
the  services  of  a  clerk  who  is  in  the  employ  of  another  bank, 
without  first  obtaining  the  consent  of  the  latter  to  the  person's 
release.     Some  firms  have  co-operated  to  the  extent  of  ex- 


290  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

changing  information  regarding  vacancies,  and  regarding  their 
own  employees  who  have  struck  **bHnd  alleys,"  or  who  have 
been  limited  in  advancement  in  the  institutions  where  they 
work.  In  this  way  provision  is  made  to  release  employees  who 
may  have  better  opportunity  for  promotion  with  other  con- 
cerns. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

ASSIGNING  AND   PRELIMINARY  FOLLOW-UP 
SUPERVISION 

Pretraining  Supervision 

In  office  work,  permanency  of  employment  is  apt  to  be 
contingent  upon  the  standard  of  work  maintained  during  the 
first  few  months  of  service — the  length  of  the  trial  period 
varying  from  four  weeks  to  six  months.  To  give  a  new 
employee  every  chance  to  make  good,  no  opportunity  should 
be  overlooked  to  smooth  the  road  for  his  unfamiliar  feet. 

The  provisions  that  are  made  for  definite  training  and 
educational  work  are  discussed  in  Chapter  XIV.  Even  before 
that,  however,  there  is  need  of  a  close  follow-up  supervision 
while  the  employee  still  feels  that  he  is  a  "stranger  in  a  strange 
land."  This  is  accomplished  in  one  administrative  office  by 
employing  the  services  of  a  capable  woman,  known  as  the 
**house  mother,"  who,  among  other  duties,  looks  after  the 
interests  of  new  women  employees,  makes  friends  with  them, 
and  generally  sees  that  they  are  made  one  with  the  rest  of 
the  "family"  as  soon  as  circumstances  will  permit.  This  same 
service  is  offered  the  new  man  employee  by  a  member  of  the 
employment  office  staff.  The  employment  manager  in  both 
instances  receives  reports  regarding  the  new  arrivals  and, 
where  advisable,  renders  personal  assistance. 

Adaptability 

Observation  soon  reveals  the  deficiencies  or  fitness  of  a 
clerk  in  the  job  to  which  he  was  first  assigned.  If  training 
is  given,  the  preliminary  follow-up  takes  place  concurrently 

291 


292  EMPLOYING  FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

with  that  process,  as  in  some  of  the  department  stores  where 
the  learner  is  required  to  visit  the  whole  store  in  company 
with  the  instructor,  whose  observation  soon  enables  him  to 
index  the  likes  and  dislikes,  aptitudes,  and  propensities  of  his 
protege.  If  the  latter  is  interested,  for  example,  in  selling 
chinaware,  or  shoes,  or  furniture,  or  clothes,  he  is  assigned 
to  a  department  handling  one  of  those  commodities. 

A  certain  man  found  his  best  usefulness  through  the  will- 
ingness of  the  employment  manager  to  "watch  and  wait'* 
during  a  trial  period.  Without  special  training  in  any  occupa- 
tion, except  that  obtained  in  the  army  as  a  truck-driver  in 
the  A.  E.  F.,  this  man  was  tried  out  in  the  receiving  depart- 
ment and  then  in  the  timekeeping  department,  but  failed  to 
give  satisfaction  in  either.  He  was  then  assigned  to  the  main- 
tenance and  repair  department.  Follow-up  supervision  and 
observation  had  suggested  to  the  employment  manager  that 
this  employee  might  have  ability  to  direct  the  work  of  other 
persons,  and  when  the  man  in  charge  of  the  above-mentioned 
department  was  suddenly  taken  ill,  the  opportunity  to  test 
the  ex-soldier  was  afforded.  He  proved  so  competent  in 
handling  men  that  the  section  surpassed  any  previous  record 
for  efficiency.  The  consequence  was  that  he  climbed  step  by 
step  until  he  was  eventually  made  assistant  superintendent  of 
maintenance.  His  value  to  the  concern  many  times  repaid  the 
firm  for  its  trouble  in  securing  the  necessary  adjustments  to 
help  him  "make  good." 

The  Probationary  Period 

The  usual  probationary  period  for  new  employees  in  busi- 
ness institutions  is  three  months.  In  government  civil  service 
work,  six  months  is  stipulated  as  the  trial  period.  The  require- 
ments and  policies  in  connection  with  the  employee's  status 
during  that  term  vary  with  the  policy  of  the  individual  concern 
as  dictated  by  its  requirements. 


•  PRELIMINARY  FOLLOW-UP   SOTERVISION  ^93 

The  newcomer  is  of  course  anxious  to  ''put  the  best  foot 
forward"  during  the  probationary  period,  for  the  inference 
is  that  he  will  be  dropped  at  its  termination  if  he  has  not  met 
the  requirements.  He  should  have  the  support  of  whatever 
aid  the  house  can  furnish,  in  this  effort. 

The  First  Rough  Spots 

A  new  job  may  be  depressing  to  the  spirits  of  the  employee. 
The  details  of  the  work  seem  difficult  to  master;  the  bustle 
and  apparent  confusion  round  him  are  distracting  to  his  atten- 
tion. The  new  stenographer,  for  instance,  is  in  mortal  terror 
of  being  unable  to  read  her  notes  or  of  making  errors  that 
will  bring  a  reprimand.  A  sympathetic  attitude  on  the  part 
of  associate  and  department  heads  aids  greatly  in  helping  the 
newcomer  over  this  difficult  period. 

Everyone  in  an  institution  who  contributes  to  the  ease  of 
mind  and  confidence  of  a  new  employee  is  a  missionary  for 
the  company  and  is  promoting  its  best  interests,  and  incidentally 
performing  an  act  which  in  itself  is  a  source  of  satisfaction. 

A  successful  department  head  in  a  mail-order  house,  who 
believed  in  setting  a  good  example  in  this  respect,  made  it  a 
rule  to  talk  personally  with  the  employees  hired  for  his  divi- 
sion. In  the  course  of  the  conversation  he  explained  that  no 
one  was  more  eager  to  be  of  service  to  them  than  himself, 
and  that  no  advantage  would  be  taken  of  their  un familiarity 
with  either  the  surroundings  or  the  job.  Thus  he  inspired 
confidence  at  the  outset.  The  spirit  he  engendered  was  con- 
tagious and  the  fine  courtesy  among  employees  that  was  nur- 
tured in  this  atmosphere  made  for  enduring  loyalty. 

The  Introduction  Committee 

The  employment  department,  in  particular,  should  be  able 
to  offer  assistance  which  is  definite  and  bcised  on  systematic 
procedure.      Social    usage    and    good    manners    require    the 


^94  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK  • 

formality  of  an  introduction  between  strangers.  A  new  em- 
ployee and  his  prospective  job  could  be  classified  in  the  cate- 
gory of  ^'strangers,"  without  much  stretching  of  the  imagina- 
tion; and  good  manners  very  aptly  suggest  that  they  be  fit- 
tingly introduced.  A  reception  or  introduction  committee  is 
usually  appointed  for  this  purpose  and  is  the  agent  of  the 
company  for  putting  a  man  at  ease  in  his  new  surroundings. 
In  every  department  of  the  Macy  store,  for  instance,  there 
is  a  reception  committee  whose  duty  it  is  to  take  charge  of 
the  new  employee.  These  committees,  made  up  of  several 
persons,  are  selected  at  a  conference  between  the  employment 
manager,  the  service  manager,  and  the  department  head.  The 
qualities  sought  in  each  member  of  the  committee  are  those 
which  one  seeks  in  the  ideal  "big  sister"  and  *'big  brother." 
In  such  a  committee  there  must  be  no  feeling  of  authority, 
but  only  a  kindliness  of  spirit  prompted  by  the  conviction  that 
this  is  the  right  place  to  work,  from  the  point  of  view  of 
health  and  happiness  and  also  the  possibility  of  advancement. 
The  members  of  the  committee  must  be  amply  endowed 
with  patience;  they  must  show  a  willingness  to  answer  ques- 
tions and  evince  a  desire  to  make  the  new  employee  feel  that 
he  is  a  part  of  one  large  family.  The  new  employee  should 
be  introduced  to  the  other  workers  in  his  department  and  to 
the  executives  with  whom  he  will  come  into  personal  contact. 

Duties  of  the  Committee 

The  scope  of  work  for  such  a  committee  is  well  outlined 
in  the  following  pamphlet,  issued  to  its  reception  committees 
by  this  department  store: 

In  order  to  make  new  employees  feel  at  home,  particularly 
those  who  have  never  worked  in  a  department  store  before, 
it  has  been  decided  to  appoint  certain  people  in  each  depart- 
ment as  an  informal  reception  committee.  The  section  man- 
ager or  department  head,  upon  receipt  of  new  employees, 


PRELIMINARY  FOLLOW-UP   SUPERVISION  295 

will  introduce  them  to  one  of  the  .designated  committees, 
who  will  in  turn  see  that  each  new  arrival  is  made  to  feel 
welcome  in  the  department  and  at  home  in  the  various 
employees'  departments  throughout  the  house.  The  persons 
selected  for  this  work  should  feel  that  it  is  a  service  which 
they  can  render  to  their  fellow-employees,  which  will  do 
much  to  assist  in  creating  that  sort  of  store  spirit  which 
is  most  desired  by  the  firm  and  the  management. 

In  order  to  make  the  duties  of  this  committee  plain  and 
maintain  similar  standards  in  all  departments,  the  following 
routines  are  suggested  for  its  guidance: 

1.  After  meeting  new  employees  personally,  be  sure  that  they 

are  properly  introduced  to  their  next  in  command,  as 
for  instance,  the  head  of  stock  or  the  head  of  whatever 
section  they  are  to  work  in.  They  should  next  be 
introduced  to  the  other  employees  with  whom  they  are 
to  work. 

2.  Make   sure  that  they  are  thoroughly    familiar  with  the 

location  of  the  different  sections  of  their  department. 

3.  Show  them  where  the  time-sheets  are  to  be  found  and 

explain  how  they  are  used. 

4.  Point  out  the  nearest  washroom  and  explain  the   rules 

that  govern  the  leaving  of  their  departments. 

5.  At  the  time  designated  by  your  section  manager  or  depart- 

ment head  take  these  new  employees  around  the  build- 
ing, showing  them  the  following  places: 

(a)  Any    other    department    closely    allied    with    their 

own,  such  as  any  manufacturing  department, 
workrooms,  special  reserves,  or  anything  of  that 
kind. 

(b)  Manager's  office  and  checking  desk. 

(c)  Locker-rooms.     If  possible,  try  to  point  out  their 

own  locker-rooms  and  explain  which  entrance 
and  exit  they  should  use. 

(d)  Place    where    tubes    for    discs    are    found    in    the 

morning  with  explanation  of  how  time  discs  are 
used. 

(e)  Lunchroom.     If  possible,  arrange  to  go  to  lunch 

with  new  employee  or  see  that  someone  in  the 
department  does  so  for  the  first  day. 


296  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

(f)  Recreation  room.    Point  out  the  library,  department 

of  training,  etc. 

(g)  M.  M.  A.  hospital. 

6.  See  that  shopping  hours  are  properly  explained  and  the 

rules  regulating  the  obtaining  of  shopping  passes,  etc. 

7.  Be  sure  that  you  express  a  willingness  to  give  further 

information  when  so  desired. 

Follow-up  Plans 

To  make  sure  that  the  work  of  the  reception  committee 
has  been  properly  carried  out,  a  report,  such  as  the  one  shown 
in  Figure  "jd,  should  be  filled  out  by  the  person  appointed  to 
represent  the  reception  committee  from  any  department. 


REPORT  OF  RECEPTION  COMMITTEE 

The  member  of  the  Reception  Committee  who  accepted  the  care  of 
the  new  employee  mentioned  below  must  fill  out  this  blank. 

This  report  to  be  brought  to  Miss (Department  of  Training) 

when  the  new  employee  has  been  with  us  for  one  week. 

1 .  Name  and  number  of  new  employee * 

2.  Date  employed 

3.  What  have  you  shown  this  employee: 

(a)  In  the  department 


(b)  Around  the  building . 


Figure  76.     Report  of  Reception  Committee.     (Size  8  x  5.) 

This    report,    duly  filled   in   by  the   person  representing  the  reception   committee,   is   a 

guaranty  that  the  work  of  the  committee  in  making  new  employees  acquainted  with   their 

surroundings  has  been  fvilfilled.     Used  by  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company. 


PRELIMINARY  FOLLOW-UP   SUPERVISION  297 

An  official  of  a  large  store  where  this  system  is  in  use 
said: 

It  was  found  previous  to  the  existence  of  the  reception 
committee  that  many  of  the  workers  in  the  store,  notwith- 
standing years  of  employment,  little  dreamed  of  the  existence 
of  some  of  the  departments  remotely  situated.  For  example, 
our  factory  on  the  eighth  floor,  the  hospital  with  its  attending 
physicians  and  nurses,  and  the  reception  room  with  its  divert- 
ing attractions.  Many  of  the  employees  have  never  been 
taken  through  our  delivery  department.  Does  the  average 
stock  clerk  realize  that  unless  this  part  of  the  organization 
is  kept  up  to  the  highest  efficiency,  the  painstaking  effort 
to  make  a  successful  sale  might  be  all  for  naught?  It  is 
to  be  expected  that  with  a  knowledge  of  the  functioning 
part  of  the  store,  the  questions  of  an  impatient  customer 
can  be  much  more  intelligently  answered  by  a  new  as  well 
as  by  an  old  employee.  We  hope,  therefore,  to  acquaint 
old  and  new  with  the  working  of  the  various  departments 
by  an  organized  system  of  familiarizing  them  with  the  details. 

The  reception  committee  has  also  the  added  feature  of 
introducing  the  new  co-worker  to  the  social  gatherings,  that 
have  their  main  office  in  the  recreation  room  for  the  girls, 
and  the  men*s  club  for  the  men.  Both  of  these  institutions 
were  organized  with  the  fundamental  idea  that  "all  work  and 
no  play  makes  Jack  a  dull  boy,"  and  I  might  add  that  Jill 
m.ust  be  included  in  this  also. 

In  conclusion,  the  reception  committee  forms  the  im- 
portant function  of  starting  the  newcomer  with  a  correct 
impression  of  the  store.  First  impressions,  if  favorable, 
make  for  permanency  of  employment  and  satisfaction  in 
one's  work,  and  the  responsibility,  to  give  a  happy  yet  fair 
"first  impression"  rests  largely  in  the  future  with  the  recep- 
tion committee. 


Further  Follow-up  Measures 

The  progressive    follow-up   should   continue   beyond   the 
probationary  stage.     It  will  then  become  an  item  of  no  little 


298  EMPLOYING  FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

consequence  in  guiding  the  employee's  career  with  the  firm 
along  the  right  channels.  It  will  furnish  information  that 
bears  directly  upon  his  efficiency  as  a  contributing  unit  of  value 
to  the  organization. 

The  National  City  Bank  furnishes  a  good  example  of  how 
progressive  follow-up  is  conducted  in  a  banking  institution. 
Interviews  are  given  three  months  after  employment,  three 
months  later,  and  thereafter  every  six  months.  The  three 
blanks  used  for  this  purpose  are  shown  below. 

The  progressive  record  (Figure  77a)  is  taken  care  of 
by  the  employment  office.  A  continuous  record  of  transfer 
and  promotion  is  entered  on  the  front  page;  the  back  is  used 
for  recording  the  results  of  physical  examination,  which  is  a 
part  of  each  follow-up.  This  blank  is  a  fold-over  container 
for  the  two  other  blanks,  copies  of  which  come  in  to  be  filed 
after  every  follow-up  date. 

The  personal  report  blank  (Figure  77b)  after  being  filled 
out  by  the  department  head  from  his  personal  knowledge  and 
observation,  receives  the  OK  of  the  division  head  who  sends 
it  to  the  employment  office.  The  employment  office  then  sends 
a  notice  to  the  employee  named  in  the  blank,  to  report  for 
interview  in  one  week.  When  the  employee  presents  himself, 
the  employment  manager,  with  the  department  head's  personal 
report  before  him,  proceeds  with  the  interview,  recording  his 
findings  on  the  report  on  personal  interview  sheet.  (Figure 
77c.)  The  progressive  record  folder  with  its  contents  is 
filed  with  the  employee's  personal  file  in  the  employment  office. 

Another  Type  of  Follow-up 

Another  type  of  follow-up  record,  in  use  by  the  Chase 

National  Bank,  embodies  sections  descriptive  of  the  duties 

and  details  of  the  position  under  consideration.  The  form 

(Figure  78)   is  a  fold-over  designed  to  contain  two  other 


PRELIMINARY   FOLLOW-UP   SUPERVISION 


299 


forms,  the  personal  history  card  and  the  cause  of  leaving 
slip.  The  follow-up  record  is  submitted  periodically  to  the 
employment  department,  which  upon  its  receipt  sends  for  the 


NAUR 

Na 

PRCXUIESSIVE  RECORD 

Date  Enteral  Rank 

• 

Date  of  Bi 
RECORD  IN  THE  BANK 

rth 

Department 

Enteral 

Uft 

Position 

Salary 

Remark* 

'— ^—^ J 

1 1 

^__ 

_— •— ~-~_ 

PROGRESSIVE  RECORD 

PHYSICAL  EXAMINATIONS 

Date           1                   Examined  by 

Condition 

1 

1 ^___— 

•-^ . 

1 ^- ■ ■ ' 

Figure  77.     (a)  Progressive  Record  of  Employees'  Transfers  and  Promotions 
and  Physical  Examinations  Used  by  National  City  Bank  (face  and  reverse). 

(Size  83^X11.) 


employee  to  be  interviewed  and  works  out  a  comparative 
analysis  that  is  recorded  under  the  heading  "Revised  Rating 
and  Report." 


300  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


RMaraal 

•M.  to  EHPLOYMINT  BUREAU' 

PERSONAL  REPORT 

PoHlion 

(M*k«  dcKripiioa  coB.preha.«»e  lad  ipedfic) 

LJ 

I.     EaUuniutic  WoAa 

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SUMMARY 

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A 

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p>d<r  ua  chanctrr  of  ■!»  oaplof. 

IWDLT  HAVE  yOU8  DIVISION  HEAD  INITIAL  THIS  BEPOfil 

Figure  77.     (b)  Department  Head's  Personal  Report  on  Employee,  Used  by 
National  City  Bank  of  New  York.     (Size  8>^  x  1 1 .) 


PRELIMINARY   FOLLOW-UP    SUPERVISION  3^1 


Report  No. 
REPORT  ON   PERSONAL   INTERVIEW 

Date 


1.  Has  employee  any  suggestions  or  criticisms? 

2.  What  discussi<Mi  was  had  in  xegud  to  Educational  Vt<ak^ 

3.  Is  employee  married? 

4.  Opinion  o(  ability 

5.  Siwit 

6.  Do  you  feel  that  emploxee  is  in  Department  for  which  best  fitted? 

7.  Is  an  increase  in  salary  recommended? 


Figure  77.     (c)  Employment  Manager's  Report  on  Personal  Interview  with 
Employee,  Used  by  National  City  Bank  of  New  York.     (Size  8^  x  loJi.) 


302 


EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


Niina                                                                                                                          Depirtment                                                                   D«t. 

REVIEW  OF    INDIVIDUAL  JUNIOR   EMPLOYEE 

^                                                                                                      DUTIC* 

CMCO  m  lauxc  cpn»>Tt  itc>i 

Accepts 

Delivers 

Lists 

Statistics 

Analyses 

Dictates 

Mails 

Substitutes 

Discounts 

Morning   Exchange, 

Supervises 

Assorts 

Endorses 

Pays 

Takes  Dictation 

Audits 

Executive 

Posts 

A«r,ee. 

Flies 

Proves 

Quards 

Receives 

Block. 

Snag, 

Cerlilies 

Interest 

Stamps 

Counts 

Itemizes 

Statements 

DETAILS  OF  POSITION 

RCrORT  or  eCPARTMCNT   HCAD 

A 

RATINO 

■ 

c 

BtVlSECUBATINO   Ar,0   REPORT 

•..T. 

„O„.0U.L     OU.L.T,..     ,.     ...11     .OU..<a 

1+ Exception  tl 

eOLU-.a  .  .»o  c  .HO  .-.cc  ..low  .rc  ro.  use  or 

^•KVIDIO   !•   COV,U»«    .. 

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orncc.  CMicr  CLr..,  ».,T.   CHitr  ctm,   .ho  ec. 

■3     Average      , 

THt   *MCC  aClOW  l«  TO  IC    UmiD   ST   THI  otrtnT- 

3     Below  Average 

HIIIT  H»D  IN  .IVI«.  .  r«»«  IIPKIMIOII  Of  ••■•  OH». 

Accuracy 

■  on    ••  TO  r.ULT..   O.D    H>»TS.  ITC.  OW  TNC   CIC.«. 

Appear^jce  of  Work 

Amount  Accomplished 

Attention  to  work 

Cooperation 

' 

Courtesy 

Executi«!  Abi::iy 

General  Ability 

Initiative 

Intelligence 

Interest  in  Work 

Personal  Appearance 

Promptness 

Quickness  to  Learn 

Tact 

Trustworthiness 

CtXCIOI.  ««l«I    TO    •••» 

Sienitufe  of  Oep.rtment  He.d 

Figure  78.    Follow-up  Record  Used  by  Chase  National  Bank.     (Size  Sxgl^.) 


PRELIMINARY   FOLLOW-UP    SUPERVISION 


303 


00  00 

EMPLOYEE'S  REVIEW  BLANK 


NAME Class Position 

Departmsnt Division Section  ... 

Date  Appointment Date  Birth 

Present  Annual  Salary  $ -     Maximum  for  Position 

Date  of  lait  Increase  Times  late  absent  during  past  twelve 


$ 

months - 


DUTIES 


Supervises  .. 
Analyzes  ■ . 

Audits 

Approves  -. 
Translates-, 
investigates- 

Inspects 

Check. 

Dictates 

Prepares 

Reviews 

Compares  --- 


CHICK  IN  SOUAac  AND  OIVC  SCLOW  OITAlL  OP  >>OSITIOM 


"Snags" 

Assembles 
-  -  Tabulates 

Posts 

-Typewrites 

Writes 

Indexes 

FUee 

.  -  ■  Operates 
•  -  -  -  Punches 
Draws 


WORK :  Accuracy Appearance Amount  Accomplished General  Ability  -  • 

MENTALITY:  Intelligence Memory Initiative Alertness 

Reliability Quickness  to  Learn Interest  in  Work Adaptability. 

DEPORTMENT:  Attention  to  Work Courteousness Personal  Neatness 


"ABOVC    THE     AVCKAOt." 


2     MCANINO     "AVSBAaS. 


REMARKS:   (Frank  ezpieuion  of  opinion  (rom  head  under  whom  clerk  ■•  worktag  as  to  (aultiw  bad  habits,  etc) 


Recommend  increase  in  above  case  to  $ per  annum. 

Recommend  change  of  Class  from to 

Approved  Meeting Increue  effective-- 

Approved 


fOR    THIIID    VICI  PRtSIOINT 


tAS.or  «UM*u>:*"  oipart 


Figure  79.     (a)  Blank  for  Reviewing  Employee's  Work  and  Depoitment,  Used 
in  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company  (face).     (Size  8>^  x  1 1 .) 


304  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

A  Third  Type  of  Follow-up 

The  employee's  review  blank  of  the  Equitable  Life  As- 
surance Company  (see  Figure  79)  contains  a  complete  record 
of  follow-up,  and  is  submitted  to  the  employment  department 
by  department  heads  periodically.  The  first  follow-up  is  made 
one  month  after  employment.  If  the  report  is  *'below  average," 
the  employment  department  follows  up  the  employee  every 
month  until  he  raises  his  standard  of  work  and  deportment. 


ACTION  OF  SALARY  AND  RETIREMENT  COMMITTEE 


Approve  increMe  to • $ P« 

Date  increaae  effective - 

Change  class  from to 

Date  change  of  class  effective > 

Reason  for  disapproving  increase: > 


Figure  79.     (b)  Reverse  of  79a,  Used  for  Recording  Approval  or  Disapproval 
of  Wage  Increase 

to  a  more  acceptable  level.  Thereafter  the  review  is  made 
at  the  anniversary  of  his  appointment,  when  consideration  is 
given  to  salary  increase  and  promotion. 

The  Rating  Card 

The  Macy  store  uses  a  rating  card  for  sales  clerks.  (See 
Figure  80.)  On  this  card  is  recorded  the  rating  given  the 
employee  by  the  training  department  instructor,  the  manager 
of  the  department  in  which  the  employee  works,  and  the 
section  manager.     On  this  card  also,  the  employee  notes  his 


PRELIMINARY  FOLLOW-UP   SUPERVISION 


305 


own  judgment  of  his  progress.  The  card  is  filed  in  the  per- 
sonnel department  and  is  used  as  a  basis  for  promotion  and 
transfer. 

Information  Booklet 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  introduction  and  follow-up, 
mention  should  be  made  of  the  "rules  and  regulations"  in- 


Salesclerk*s  Rating  Caid 

Name                                                         Number                                            Date  of  Employment 

Dept.  of  Trainino  Ratino 

S^  kW    beg.  fcU    p-R.."^ 

Attendance  at  Classes 

10pU.max. 

Physical  Fitness 

5  pts.max- 

Appearance 

5    «      « 

Appearance 

5    "     •• 

General  Inteffiaence 

5    «      .. 

Courtesy 

5    "      " 

Interest 

5    ..      « 

Initiative 

5    „      „ 

Courtesy 

^    -      <• 

Accuracy 

5   "     " 

, 

Accuracy 

5    ..      « 

Interest 

5    ..     .. 

Formation  of  F«nires&  Letters 

10    "     " 

Knowledge  of  Mdse. 

10   "     •' 

Ability  to  RRure 

to  "    " 

Knowledge  of  System 

5   ..     .. 

System  Test 

45    "     " 

Slockkeeping 

10   "     " 

Total  Rating  . 

Selling 

25    -     " 

Recommendations: 

Mdse.  Test 

20    •'     " 

Total  Rating 

Sin.  of  Instnictor                     Dale 

Authorized  by                       Date 

Recommendations 

P..«dbv                               Dale 

Signature  of  Examiner Date 

Figure  80.    Sales  Clerk's  Rating  Card,  Used  by  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company. 

(Size  8x5.) 


formation  furnished  employees.  The  newcome'r  should  have 
the  rules  and  regulations  in  handy  form  for  reference.  Most 
business  firms  issue  a  guide  of  the  sort  similar  to  that  shown 
for  industrial  workers  in  Appendix  A. 

With  such  an  informative  booklet,  and  with  the  encourage- 
ment of  a  cordial  reception  and  a  constructive  follow-up  super- 
vision, the  new  employee  is  enabled  to  begin  his  work  with 
enthusiasm,  and  to  pursue  it  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

TRANSFERS  AND  PROMOTIONS 

Transfers  the  Province  of  the  Employment  Manager 

We  have  noted  in  Chapter  XVI  that  one  of  the  most 
important  phases  of  the  employment  manager's  work  in  indus- 
trial plants  is  his  relation  to  transfers.  This  is  no  less  true 
of  the  office. 

The  reasons  why  a  worker  in  an  office,  store,  or  bank 
should  desire  a  transfer  from  one  department  to  another,  or 
should  be  so  transferred  to  save  him  to  the  firm,  are  sub- 
stantially the  same  as  those  set  forth  in  the  chapter  already 
mentioned  and  need  not  be  repeated  here. 

However,  let  us  impress  on  the  employment  manager 
several  things,  even  at  the  risk  of  repetition. 

1.  It  is  unwise  to  ignore  personal  preference. 

2.  Unrest  and  dissatisfaction  are  not  always  to  be  cen- 
sured. They  are  very  often  the  evidences  of  a  desire  to  grow, 
to  learn,  or  an  indication  of  the  capacity  of  greater  respon- 
sibility. 

3.  But  if  these  manifestations  are  not  accompanied  by  a 
sincere  effort  toward  self -improvement,  they  may  mean  that 
the  employee  is  simply  a  will-o'-the-wisp. 

4.  Do  not  forget  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  wholesome 
dissatisfaction  with  one's  work  and  progress. 

Objections  to  Transfers  Less  Than  in  Industry 

In  Chapter  XVI  we  went  into,  in  some  detail,  the  objec- 
tions of  foremen  and  department  heads  to  the  right  of  transfer 

306 


TRANSFERS   AND   PROMOTIONS  30/ 

being  vested  solely  in  the  employment  manager.  Happily, 
this  right  has  not  been  so  seriously  contested  in  the  store, 
office,  and  bank,  owing,  perhaps,  to  the  less  complex  conditions. 

Transfer  and  Turnover 

The  employment  manager  who  does  not  give  due  con- 
sideration to  the  question  of  transfers  overlooks  one  of  his 
best  opportunities  to  reduce  labor  turnover  and  to  preserve 
the  nice  balance  that  betokens  a  smoothly  working  mechanism. 
He  must  listen  alike  to  the  man  who  has  succeeded  in  master- 
ing his  job  and  now  seeks  to  advance,  and  to  the  misfit  who 
detests  the  kind  of  work  he  is  doing.  He  must  be  aware  of 
personal  peculiarities  among  both  employees  and  supervisors 
that  will  furnish  him  with  deductions  upon  which  to  base 
confidential  advice  and  warning.  He  must  pursue  his  in- 
vestigations with  an  open  mind  and  an  accurate  knowledge 
of  circumstances.  He  must  be  as  careful  in  placing  the  trans- 
ferred person  as  he  would  be  in  qualifying  a  new  applicant. 
The  percentage  of  success  of  most  employment  managers  in 
making  selections  is  not  high  enough  to  warrant  any  feeling 
of  infallibility.  He  is  likely  to  hear  from  those  he  has  mis- 
placed sooner  or  later,  either  through  the  department  head  or 
the  employee  himself,  when  he  will  have  a  chance  to  rectify 
the  blunder. 

Practical  Example  of  a  Transfer  System 

The  United  Cigar  Stores  Company  arranges  transfers 
upon  the  request  of  employees  and  at  the  suggestion  of  a  store 
superintendent  or  district  sales  manager,  when  the  reasons 
given  justify  such  transfers.  A  clerk  may  be  transferred  to 
another  store,  thereby  saving  him  carfare  and  permitting  him 
to  go  home  to  his  meals.  He  may  even  be  transferred  to  one 
of  the  stores  in  another  city,  that  he  may  benefit  by  a  climatic 


308  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

change.  A  clerk  may  be  shifted  because  of  incompatability 
with  surroundings.  A  clerk  with  a  knowledge  of  foreign 
languages  may  be  transferred  to  a  store  catering  to  foreign 
patronage.  These  and  many  other  reasons  suggest  the  advisa- 
bility of  transfers,  whereby  the  employees  and  the  company 
may  benefit  mutually. 

Charting  Transfer  Data 

A  very  interesting  and  effective  plan  for  charting  transfer 
data  is  employed  in  the  Macy  store.  It  was  originated  and 
developed  by  Mr.  Kerzberg,  employment  manager  in  charge, 
through  whose  courtesy  a  reproduction  here  has  been  made 
possible.     (See  Figure  8i.) 

The  card  embraces  a  comprehensive  record  of  the  em- 
ployee's present  and  past  status  in  the  concern,  his  schooling, 
past  experience,  personal  qualities,  and  information  as  to  his 
age,  place  of  birth,  address,  etc.  The  numbers  at  the  top 
(left)  represent  the  departments  in  the  store.  These  are 
arranged  in  four  parallel  lines,  one  above  the  other,  45  to 
the  line.  Red,-  green,  yellow,  and  black  clip  tabs,  corresponding 
in  the  order  named  with  each  of  the  four  parallel  rows  of 
figures,  are  used  as  signals  in  calling  attention  to  experience 
which  the  employee  has  had  that  is  similar  to  the  work  of 
the  department  indicated.  These  tabs,  when  placed  over  the 
squares,  are  an  index  to  the  department  experience  in  question. 
Each  vertical  row  contains  four  numbers;  the  color  guides 
are  the  same  width  as  the  squares,  and  when  attached  to  any 
block  indicate  whether  it  is  the  first,  second,  third,  or  fourth 
number  of  that  row  of  four.  The  red  refers  to  all  the  numbers 
in  the  first  parallel  line  of  figures,  green  to  the  second,  yellow 
to  the  third,  and  black  to  the  fourth.  When  an  employee  is 
hired,  a  complete  record  of  him  is  made  on  the  card  and  a 
tab  indicating  the  department  to  which  he  is  assigned  is  clipped 
over  the  appropriate  square.     If  a  red  tab  is  clipped  over  i 


TRANSFERS  AND   PROMOTIONS 


309 


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3IO  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

it  means  that  the  employee  is  assigned  to  department  No.  i 
(linens)  ;  if  a  green  tab  is  clipped  over  block  i  it  indicates 
department  No.  46  (men's  and  boys'  shoes) ;  if  a  yellow  tab 
is  clipped  over  the  same  block,  it  designates  department  No. 
91  (misses*  skirts  and  waists) ;  if  a  black  tab  is  used,  it  refers 
to  department  No.  136  (public  service  bureau). 

A  Concrete  Example 

Let  us  assume,  for  instance,  that  a  Miss  Smith  is  hired 
for  department  No.  93  (children's  hats).  A  yellow  signal 
tab  would  be  clipped  over  block  3,  the  color  indicating  that 
the  third  number  directly  underneath  was  denoted.  If  she 
were  employed  for  the  china  and  glassware  department,  a  red 
tab  would  be  clipped  over  15;  whereas  if  a  green  tab  was  to 
be  clipped  there,  it  would  indicate  that  Miss  Smith  was  in 
department  No.  60  (linings) ;  a  yellow  tab,  that  she  was  as- 
signed to  department  No.  105  (sewing  machines). 

• 
Further  Utility  of  the  System 

To  demonstrate  further  the  utility  of  the  card:  An  employee 
may  have  worked  in  several  departments  of  the  store;  she 
may  have  received  training  for  another  department  or  she 
may  have  had  experience  in  other  stores  along  the  line  of 
work  carried  on  in  any  of  the  departments  represented  by 
the  numbers.  All  the  information  could  be  shown  by  clipping 
a  colored  tab  over  the  appropriate  squares.  One  card  may 
thus  have  six  or  even  more  signals  clipped  to  the  top.  Miss 
Smith's  card  may  show  at  a  glance  that  she  has  had  experience 
or  training  in  the  work  of  several  departments — red  over  2, 
laces;  black  over  45,  public  service  bureau;  yellow  over  9, 
artists'  materials ;  green  over  36,  clocks  and  bronzes. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  transfer  Miss  Smith  temporarily 
or  permanently  from  the  department  in  which  she  is  employed. 


TRANSFERS  AND  PROMOTIONS  3^1 

In  this  event  the  tab  reference  to  past  experience  and  train- 
ing would  guide  the  employment  manager  in  placing  her  else- 
where. 

Again,  let  us  assume  that  a  special  sale  is  about  to  take 
place  in  the  linings  department.  A  reference  to  the  file  of 
cards  in  all  departments  but  linings  would  show  those  with 
green  tabs  over  block  1 5  an  immediate  index  to  all  clerks  who 
had  had  similar  experience  or  training  to  that  required  in 
department  60.  In  this  case,  those  that  could  be  spared  would 
be  transferred  to  department  60  to  meet  the  emergency,  thus 
avoiding  the  necessity  of  going  outside  for  new  employees. 

The  arrangement  described  is  not  so  much  to  show  the 
department  in  which  the  employee  is  working,  as  it  is  to  give 
reference  to  his  or  her  past  experience.  The  location  of  the 
cards  would  be  taken  care  of  by  filing  them  alphabetically  by 
departments. 

The  four  rows  of  fifteen  figures  each  at  the  upper  right, 
refer  to  the  symbols  of  the  psychological  components  which 
are  collaterally  grouped  on  the  back  of  the  card  (Figure 
81)  and  used  to  check  the  result  of  the  psychological  test 
given  each  employee.  The  same  color  arrangement  is  used 
to  index  this  information;  the  same  tabs  are  clipped  on  to 
"flag"  personal  characteristics  as  are  used  to  indicate  experience 
and  training  on  the  other  group  of  numbers.  For  instance, 
square  37  on  the  back  of  the  card  contains  the  word  "concen- 
tration" which  has  been  checked  as  one  of  the  outstanding 
qualities  brought  out  in  the  psychological  test.  A  yellow  tab 
clipped  on  square  7  will  instantly  give  reference  to  those  found 
to  possess  this  ability  in  an  unusual  degree. 

Transfer  and  Success 

In  many  business  houses  we  find  a  policy  obtaining  which 
gives  every  employee  an  opportunity  to  make  request  for  trans- 
fer, but  favorable  action  is  not  taken,  as  a  rule,  unless  the 


312  EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

employee  has  been  successful  where  he  or  she  was  placed. 
Transfers  are,  in  general,  a  distinct  factor  both  in  reducing 
labor  turnover  and  in  strengthening  the  morale  of  the  entire 
personnel. 

The  Philosophy  of  Promotion 

Intelligent  promotion  as  a  stimulus  and  aid  to  esprit  de 
corps,  happiness,  and  fulness  of  interest  in  the  personnel  force, 
has  received  more  deliberate  treatment  in  business  organiza- 
tions than  it  has  in  industrial  plants.  The  latter,  with  their 
more  complex  array  of  trades,  operations,  and  traditions — 
not  to  mention  the  greater  variety  of  working  types — ^have  a 
wider  field  to  chart.  The  philosophy  of  promotion  is  the  same, 
however,  in  both  fields. 

An  employee  should  not  be  held  to  one  job  simply  because 
he  does  it  well ;  such  work  is  proof,  usually,  that  he  is  ready 
to  tackle  a  more  difficult  position. 

To  provide  these  openings  through  which  a  man  may  lift 
himself  higher,  is  a  function  primarily  under  the  control  of 
the  employment  department  (see  Chapter  II),  for  promotion 
rightfully  belongs  to  those  who  demonstrate  their  ability  to 
meet  it,  and  should  even  be  thrown  in  the  way  of  employees 
ordinarily  ''blind"  and  "deaf";  for  these  latter  may  need  a 
little  urging  to  start  them  along  the  road  of  self -advancement. 
Promotion  furnishes  incentive  for  hard  work  and  earnest 
application. 

Promotion  may  take  the  form  of  a  transfer  to  another 
department,  a  raise  in  pay  on  the  same  job,  or  of  advancement 
to  higher  position  in  the  same  department. 

Avoiding  Mystery 

Every  employee  should  have  the  opportunity  of  learning 
the  work  on  all  sides  of  him,  if  he  is  so  disposed.     It  is  a 


TRANSFERS   AND   PROMOTIONS  S^S 

mistake  for  either  supervisors  or  employees  to  surround  their 
work  with  an  air  of  mystery,  as  some  are  prone  to  do,  seem- 
ingly urged  by  fear  that  their  co-workers  will  learn  too  much 
about  it.  Fear  of  competition  is  undoubtedly  the  source,  and 
is  so  prevalent  in  some  concerns  that  the  employment  manager 
may  have  a  difficult  task  to  overcome  it.  Office  people  often 
make  the  mistake  of  blocking  the  way  of  those  in  minor  posi- 
tions by  assuming  this  air  of  mystery,  to  the  detriment  of 
their  own  advancement  as  well  as  that  of  others.  If  this  spirit 
spreads  unchecked  it  may  result  in  the  stagnation  of  an  entire 
firm. 

Practice  of  a  Merchandising  Concern 

A  prominent  business  house  has  made  plain  to  its  employ- 
ment manager  and  all  its  executives,  that  constant  watch  must 
be  kept  for  desirable  employees  who  deserve  promotion.  The 
manual  issued  to  employees  specifically  states  that  promotion 
is  sure  to  follow  a  display  of  ability  and  willingness.  When 
vacancies  occur  in  any  department  a  notice  is  posted  to  that 
effect  and  employees  are  invited  to  make  application  for  the 
position. 

The  employment  manager  of  this  establishment  is  also 
concerned  in  salary  advancement.  Recommendations  for 
salary  increases,  submitted  by  department  heads,  are  passed  on 
by  a  salary  committee  composed  of  the  superintendent  of 
training  and  the  employment  manager.  Each  recommendation 
is  carefully  investigated  and  the  employee's  ability,  loyalty, 
and  general  deportment  are  taken  into  consideration  in  the 
adjustment  that  follows.  In  addition,  the  jobs  are  so  graded 
as  to  desirability  and  salary  that  automatic  promotion  in  posi- 
tion or  salary  takes  place,  if  no  adverse  criticism  of  an  em- 
ployee is  received.  Most  of  the  really  high-salaried  positions 
in  this  organization  are  held  by  persons  who  started  as  low 
as  messengers  and  counter  clerks. 


314  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

A  Chain  Store  Plan  for  Promotion 

Another  merchandising  establishment,  operating  many 
stores,  regards  promotion  as  the  big  factor  in  retaining  its 
best  employees.  All  new  employees  in  their  stores  start  at 
the  same  salary  and  position  without  regard  to  previous  ex- 
perience. Advancement  thereafter  is  dependent  upon  merit 
and  ability.  The  reason  for  this  is  apparent  when  it  is  under- 
stood that  they  handle  one  line  of  goods  only  and  hire  but 
one  type  of  worker — the  counter  salesman.  All  the  higher 
positions  are  filled  by  promotion  from  among  the  employees 
on  the  regular  force.  New  employees  spend  some  time  in  the 
school  store,  learning  prices  and  facts  as  to  the  commodity 
handled.  An  exception  is  made  in  favor  of  the  person 
previously  employed  by  the  company,  who  may  be  taken  on 
at  a  higher  salary  than  that  given  to  beginners,  because  the 
work  is  not  new  to  him  and  he  would  not  have  to  take  up 
the  time  of  the  other  clerks  with  questions  as  to  rules  of 
procedure,  prices,  location  of  goods,  etc.  District  sales  man- 
agers may  submit  recommendations  for  wage  increases  and 
promotion,  which  are  not  specifically  taken  care  of  in  the 
scheme  of  grading  positions  and  salaries  that  has  been  worked 
out  and  administered  by  the  salary  committee. 

The  firm  mentioned  follows  practically  the  same  policy  in 
its  administrative  office. 


The  Opportunity  for  Initiative 

The  aggressive  type  of  man  finds  more  room  for  endeavor 
in  office  work  than  in  manual  labor.  In  the  banks,  for  in- 
stance, the  more  ambitious  messenger  spends  his  spare  mo- 
ments in  the  departments  making  himself  useful,  and 
incidentally  learning  how  to  operate  adding  machines,  billing 
machines,  and  methods  of  doing  routine  clerical  work.  The 
progress  made  is  recorded  by  the  department  head,  who  reports 


TRANSFERS  AND  PROMOTIONS  3^S 

to  the  employment  department  when  sufficient  proficiency  is 
gained  by  the  messenger  to  warrant  promotion. 

The  plodding,  unassertive  man,  on  the  other  hand,  may 
find  that  progress  is  not  so  rapid  as  in  other  lines  of  work, 
for  the  average  office  has  only  to  a  limited  extent  determined 
the  feasibility  of  grading  and  classifying  positions  and  salaries 
along  predetermined  lines. 

Practical  Promotion  Plan 

It  is  difficult  consistently  to  satisfy  all  employees'  ambitions 
for  promotion.  Some  are  so  obtuse  that  they  feel  dis- 
criminated against  if  the  other  fellow  gets  promotion,  when 
a  bit  of  self-analysis  would  show  them  that  the  fault  for  their 
own  stagnation  was  personal.  On  the  other  hand,  an  injustice 
may  really  be  done  by  oversight,  neglect,  or  even  personal 
prejudice  on  the  part  of  the  supervisor.  To  eliminate  as  much 
as  possible  the  element  of  chance,  a  system  of  standardizing 
and  classifying  jobs,  ratings,  and  salaries  should  be  adopted. 
A  large  insurance  company  has  established  an  excellent  ground- 
work for  such  a  system  by  grouping  the  clerical  work  as 
follows: 

Classes  F  to  D  Junior  clerks 

Class  C  Senior  clerks 

Class  B  Special  clerks 

Class  A  Technical  clerks 

Another  insurance  company  has  gone  to  the  extent  of 
classifying  all  positions  in  the  home  office,  at  the  same  time 
establishing  minimum  and  maximum  salaries. 

The  Understudy  Method 

The  "understudy"  method  of  promotion  already  mentioned 
In  Chapter  XVII,  is  practicable  in  almost  any  kind  of  organlza- 


3i6 


EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


METROPOLITAN    LIFE    INSURANCE    COMPANY 
APPLICANTS   RAXINO  CARD 


RATING 


Division  Ratinc 


SECTION  RATING 


EDUCATION 


Appeanmee  »p<l  Muinera 


•ad  Teacbers 


General  Impression 


TtfT/LJ, 


Craoimar  Scb 
No.  of  Ytaa 
Crad. 


High  School 
No.  of  Yean 
Grad. 


College 
No.  of  Yo 
Grad. 


Business  College 

Course 

How  long 


Church  and  Other  Affiliations 


Preference  as  to  Kind  of  Work 


Reason  for  Seeking  Employment 


Dat« 
Int.  bjr 


Date 
Assigned  1 


Figure  82.     (a)  Applicant's  Rating  Card,  Used  by  Metropolitan  Life  Insur 
ance  Company.     (Size  8x6.) 


TRANSFERS   AND   PROMOTIONS 


317 


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EMPLOYING  FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


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TRANSFERS   AND    PROMOTIONS 


319 


METROPOLITAN    UIFB    INSURANCE    COMPANY 

Rating  sup  for  Employees  of  Grade  of  Assistant  Section  Head  or  Above 


Rate  According  to  Printed  Instruction*  and  Retur 
PERSONNEL   DIVISION 


ProiTiptly  to 


Eaptortc'i  Naae 


lOccupttd. 


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Wc  ccrtifr  ttet  n  hsTC  csBplied  with  the  i 


t  above  ntjiic  b  fur  and  jox,  1 


Figure  82,     (d)  Rating  Slip  Used  by  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company 
for  Employees  of  Grade  of  Assistant  Section  Head  or  Above.     (Size  9x6.) 


METROPOLITAN   LIirB  INSURANCE   COMPANY 
Rating  SHp  tor  Employees  Belo-w  Grade  of  Assistant  Section  Head 


Rate  Accordins  to  Printed  Instructions  and  Return  Promptly  to 
PERSONNEL   DIVISION 


FACTOR 

PrioaiT 

R.TW. 

Pavnnel 

Qu3KlyoCWort 
8-16-24-J2-I0 

Rapidity  of  Work 
4-S-I2-I6-20 

Istemt  io  Work 
4.S-I216-20 

Appnraoc*  ud  MuMn 
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»TTENDANCE  RECOBD— LAST  S 


Wc  ortifr  ibst  «c  taav*  toaplkd  wnh  che  iastructi 


'  ratine  ^od  tbe  abov«  rating  li  lair  and  just,  accordioc  < 


Figure  82.     (e)  Rating  Slip  Used  by  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company 
for  Employees  Below  Grade  of  Assistant  Section  Head.     (Size  9  x  6.) 


320 


EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


METROPOLITAN    LIFK    INSURANCE    COMPANY 
SALARY    SLIP 


Presented  to  Personnel  Division  for  consideration  as  to  -whether  an 
Increase  In  salary  shall  be  allo'tved 


Grvit  No.       Unith  SgviCT 


LAST  INCRSASa 


COMMENTS:.. 


(FOB  UH  or  PCUONNgI, 


Figure  82.   ^  (f)  Slip  Used  by  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company  in  Con- 
sideration of  Salary  Increase  for  Individual  Employee.     (Size  9x6.) 


TRANSFERS  AND  PROMOTIONS 


321 


n 


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II 


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O    Q    09 


322  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

tion  and  is  helpful  to  all  other  methods  used.     It  involves 
the  keeping  of  separate  records  of  the  following  nature: 

1.  A  card  record  for  every  individual  position  carrying 

responsibility,  with  the  names  thereon  of  several 
men  in  the  employ  who  can  be  considered  possible 
understudies. 

2.  A  separate  record  card  for  every  man  who  seems  to 

have  talent  or  executive  possibilities,  entering  on  the 
card  all  the  possible  positions  the  man  might  fill. 

3.  Frequent  reference  to  these  cards  in  the  light  of  the 

organization's  requirements  and  the  growth  and 
development  of  the  men. 

4.  Training  of  understudies  and  direction  of  their  educa- 

tion so  they  can  be  utilized  when  occasion  arises. 

Useful  Forms 

In  this  connection,  a  complete  set  of  rating  cards  used 
by  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company  for  calculating 
promotions,  will  serve  to  show  how  a  practical  promotion 
system  may  be  worked  out.     (See  Figures  82a-g.) 


CHAPTER  XXV 

ABSENTEEISM,  TARDINESS,  DISCHARGES 

Absentee  Losses 

An  earlier  chapter  noted  how  vital  were  the  questions  of 
attendance  and  promptness  in  industry.  But  they  are  even 
more  important  in  the  office.  Indeed,  they  are  questions  that 
affect  the  office  in  a  far  greater  degree  than  they  do  industrial 
plants;  for  if  a  man  is  either  late  or  absent  in  an  office  he 
is  usually  paid  for  the  time  lost — thus  the  office  is  out  both 
the  services  of  the  man  and  its  own  money  as  well.  That  is 
not  true  of  the  ordinary  industrial  plant.  There,  if  a  man 
is  absent  or  late,  the  amount  of  the  time  he  loses  is  deducted 
from  his  wages,  so  that  while  the  plant  is  still  the  loser,  it  is 
not  the  loser  to  the  same  extent  as  the  office. 

Encouraging  Promptness  and  Attendance 

As  has  been  said  in  Chapter  XVIII,  the  members  of  the 
employment  office  staff,  together  with  the  department  heads, 
are  responsible  for  reducing  tardiness  and  absence  to  the 
minimum.  This  can  be  done  by  almost  innumerable  plans  to 
foster  and  encourage  the  spirit  of  promptness  and  attendance. 

Banner  Competition 

One  company  has  inaugurated  an  attendance  banner  com- 
petition between  departments  and  sections.  The  section  which 
has  the  best  record  for  attendance  and  punctuality  for  three 
months  is  entitled  to  display  the  banner  in  its  quarters.  Keen 
but  friendly  rivalry  has  resulted,  individual  employees  in  each 

323 


324  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

section  striving  to  outdo  the  other ;  for  in  addition  to  bringing 
the  honor  of  winning  the  banner  to  their  department,  there 
is  the  additional  incentive  offered  of  a  week's  salary  to  the 
employee  attaining  a  specified  standard  of  attendance  during 
the  year. 

Attendance  Bonuses 

Attendance  bonuses  in  the  concern  mentioned  amounted 
to  $28,118.24  in  one  year,  and  the  records  of  the  com- 
pany show  that  competition  and  rewards  are  very  effective. 
Absence  credits  because  of  illness  have  been  provided  on  a 
graduated  scale,  against  which  an  employee  may  have  charged 
days  of  sickness  and  other  unavoidable  absence.  These  credits 
are  graded  so  that  length  of  service  is  emphasized  and  en- 
couraged : 

Length  of  Service  Absence  Credits 

Less  than  i  year.  I    day    for    each    month    of 

service    in    any    calendar 
year  at  two-thirds  pay. 

I  year  or  over,  but  less  than  12   days   each  year   at   two- 

5  years.  thirds  pay. 

Over  5  years  but  less  than  12  days  at  full  pay, 

10  years. 

Over  10  years  but  less  than  15  days  at  full  pay. 

15  years. 

Over  15  years  but  less  than  18  days  at  full  pay. 

20  years. 

Over  20  years  but  less  than  21  days  at  full  pay. 

25  years. 

Over  25  years.  24  days  at  full  pay. 

Vacation  as  a  Reward 

In  a  representative  New  York  department  store,  the  em- 
ployees who  are  neither  tardy  nor  absent  for  all  or  any  part 
of  a  day  for  four  consecutive  weeks,  are  allowed  one-half 
day's   vacation   in   the   summer   season.      A   perfect   record 


ABSENTEEISM,    TARDINESS,    DISCHARGES 


325 


throughout  the  year  gives  them  an  additional  week's  vacation 
with  pay.  To  equaHze  this  liabiHty  and  give  the  company  a 
"sporting  chance,"  the  employees  must  suffer  one  day's  sus- 
pension if  late  four  times  in  any  four  consecutive  weeks. 


iBBura  thfiM 
to 

William  Jmitlj 

«  Id^  mmbtr  of  %  i^taff  in  rrrosnttimt  of  ifid   arlifnirmtnt  of  a 
100%  Sfnirti  for 

f  uttrtualtlM  attft  Attf  nbanr^ 

ftnrtitg  ta»li»  mottllia  tvibeh  ^UtiM^vtyA  \^\QZO 


Figure  83.     Honor  Certificate  for  Punctuality  and  Attendance  Given  by  the 
Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company.     (Size  8^x7^.) 

Other  Plans  of  Reward 

Another  store  organization  gives  an  extra  week's  pay  at 
the  end  of  a  year,  if  the  employee  is  not  late  more  than  once 
during  that  time. 

To  those  whose  records  show   100  per  cent  punctuality 


326  EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 

and  attendance  for  one  year,  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance 
Company  gives  an  honor  certificate  (Figure  83)  signed  by  the 
president  of  the  company  which  is,  of  course,  very  highly 
prized. 

Following  Up  Absentees 

Absentees  should  be  followed  up  by  phone  call,  letter,  or 
personal  visit.  A  person  appointed  by  the  employment  office 
or  the  department  head  himself  may  make  these  visits.  As  a 
courteous  reminder,  the  employment  manager  may  send  a  card 
similar  to  that  shown  in  Figure  84  to  late  employees. 


Sorry  to  see  by  this  momtng's  report  that  yea 
were  again  LATE. 

The  Equitable  working  day  is  short  -7  hours  less 
45  minutes  for  luncheon.  Should  we  not  in  fairness  make 
every  effort  to  give  full  service  in  this  short  period? 

Your  lateness  must  have  been  unavoidable  and 
I  am  sure  that  liereafter  you  will  allow  yourself  sufficient 
time  to  be  at  your  desk  before  9  o'clock.- 


Figure  84.     Reminder  Card  to  Employees  Habitually  Late.     (Size  4J4  ^  3.) 

Better  still,  a  visiting  committee,  such  as  the  Sunshine 
Committee  of  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company,  may 
be  appointed  to  do  this  visiting.  The  Sunshine  Committee 
investigates  absentees  who  have  been  out  for  five  days.  Its 
representative  carries  with  him  a  simple  gift  of  flowers  or 
fruit,  expressive  of  the  sympathy  and  best  wishes  of  fellow 
workers.  As  the  name  suggests,  he  carries  sunshine  into  the 
home  by  his  manner  and  tries  to  fill  the  sickroom  with  cheer 
and  optimism.  The  Equitable  Company  has  worked  out  a 
very  comprehensive  absentee  and  tardy  system,  which  is  in- 
troduced here,  since  it  is  applicable  to  almost  any  business. 


ABSENTEEISM,   TARDINESS,   DISCHARGES  32? 

Keeping  the  Records 

Attendance  records  are  kept  either  on  clock  cards  or  on 
time-books  signed  by  employees.  Clock  cards  go  direct  to 
the  time-keeping  department;  and  arrival  sheets  in  the  time- 
book  to  the  department  head  for  his  approval.  From  both 
these  sources  the  tardy  and  absent  ones  are  reported  to  the 
employment  department. 

The  time-book  system  works  out  in  this  fashion:  Em- 
ployees coming  to  work  sign  their  names  in  the  time-book, 
giving  the  exact  time  of  arrival.  Promptly  at  9  a.m.  a  red 
line  is  drawn  under  the  last  name  entered.  Employees  coming 
in  after  9,  must  sign  up  on  a  **late  sheet"  similar  to  the  one 
shown  in  Figure  85.  The  arrivals  are  then  verified,  and  the 
entries  approved  by  the  department  head. 

The  Departure  Sheet 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  for  employees  to  leave  early  and 
sometimes  necessary  for  them  to  work  overtime.  On  those 
occasions  a  departure  sheet  (Figure  86)  forms  a  part  of  the 
system  of  records. 

Summary  of  Absences  and  Lateness 

A  summary  of  the  lateness  and  absences  of  each  employee 
is  kept  in  the  employment  office  on  the  form  shown  in  Figure 
87,  absence  being  indicated  by  a  circle  in  the  square  and  late- 
ness by  a  cross. 

The  Honor  System 

In  a  firm  where  there  is  objection  to  installing  a  time-clock 
method  of  recording  punctuality  and  attendance,  an  ''honor" 
system  may  be  substituted,  such  as  is  used  by  a  Baltimore  con- 
cern. Each  month,  every  employee  is  given  a  blank  card 
(Figure  88)  on  which  to  keep  the  daily  record  of  his  arrival, 


328 


EMPLOYING   FOR   OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


(f 


Ofaat  Colnirn  (tains  9at  {on  is  Hint  ffannr  9aga 

O  GO 


LATE 


ALL  THOSE  coMiNoTirro  TM«  Omcc  »rYe«  • 
tLL  AascNCts  or  which  the  timc-«lerk  has  I 

WHO  HkVC  HOT  YtT  SIQNCO  CITMCN  IN  THt  TIME  BO 
CHECK  (•)  nCASON  FON  ASSCNCt. 


M  ,  MUST  SIGN  ON  THIS  SHEET  AND  NOT  IM  THC  OCMRTMENT  TIME  BOOK. 

:n  NOTinco  must  also  be  recoroeo  hereon,  at  «.ta  names  or  thosc 
I  or  upon  this  sheet  must  ac  placed  hereon  av  the  tihc  clerk. 


division, 
section. 


,^^» 


UTHtCT  ritom  titeuTirt  oiutM  no.  it.- 

"Tk*  ug»i»t  »t  Tim*  itctt  ittH  to  uf»rrif^  »>  ■  rtptmthlt  a»rk 
^HttiM  tr  tact  dtpartatnt  htU  <•« at  $  aelact  a  rail  //»»  M«ff  U 
drawn  atnit  th*  mtranca  ettama  gf  tin  Tim*  Into. " 


Figure  8$,     Sheet  for  Recording  Tardy  Employees,  Used  by  Equitable  Life 
Assurance  Company.     (Size  83^  x  ii.) 


o    o.               o    o 

DEPARTURE 

ALL  TWOSe  LEAyiNO  THE  OmCE  A^tCR  4.30  P.  M.,  OR  PRIOR  TO  THE  REGULAR  CLOSING  HOURS.  MUST  SIGN  ON  THIS  SHCCT. 

1    '■"■ 

lAKLT  HrANTUAC 

.«p,«  o;VvU';^i.'.''^'ar.'i7o «  p.» 

IN 

••■ 

, ^ —->____——— 

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L — 1 

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Figure  86.     Departure  Sheet  for  Recording  Employees  Leaving  Before  or 
After  Closing   Hour,  Used  by  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company.     (Size 

SMxioM) 


ABSENTEEISM,    TARDINESS,    DISCHARGES 


329 


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330 


EMPLOYING  FOR  OFFICE,    STORE,    BANK 


departure,  the  number  of  hours  he  worked  and  whether  he 
was  late  or  absent.  The  employee  turns  this  in  to  the  chief 
clerk  or  department  head  at  the  end  of  the  month.     Only  a 


'        M~itth                                    EVr*                                               Ni-mr                                                                                        . 

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Figme  88.    Daily  Record  Card  Kept  by  Employee  Himself.     (Size  8x5.) 

few  instances  of  falsification  have  been  noted.  The  plan  is 
similar  to  that  of  putting  college  students  on  honor  in  an 
examination. 


The  Power  of  Discharge 

The  centralization  of  the  power  of  discharge  in  the  em- 
ployment department  has  been  discussed  in  a  preceding 
chapter ;  it  is  fully  as  necessary  in  the  office  as  in  the  factory. 
The  department  heads  in  business  houses  do  not  delude  them- 
selves any  more  with  speculations  as  to  the  superiority  of  old- 
fashioned  methods.  It  has  been  a  comparatively  simple  matter 
to  convert  them  to  the  belief  that  the  employment  manager, 
being  held  largely  responsible  for  reducing  labor  turnover, 


ABSENTEEISM,    TARDINESS,    DISCHARGES  331 

should  have  the  final  decision  in  separations.  At  the  same 
time,  co-operation  between  the  two  must  be  continual  and 
unselfish,  no  action  upon  the  case  of  any  employee  at  any 
stage  being  complete  without  the  right  of  participation  by 
both. 

Dealing  with  Recommendations  for  Discharge 

Following  is  an  excellent  method,  now  in  practical  use, 
of  dealing  with  recommendations  for  discharge.  Suppose  a 
department  head  submits  a  recommendation  to  the  employment 
department  to  the  effect  that  John  Smith  has  been  indifferent 
to  his  work,  frequently  late,  and  a  source  of  trouble  generally, 
and  that  he  has  tried  to  get  John  Smith  to  realize  that  dis- 
cipline in  the  office  would  not  be  worth  much  if  such  an 
example  were  to  continue  long.  When  this  is  brought  to  the 
attention  of  the  employment  manager  he  sends  for  John  Smith 
and  proceeds  to  draw  him  out  as  though  the  purpose  of  the 
interview  were  to  get  better  acquainted  with  him.  The  con- 
versation is  then  gradually  led  around  to  his  work  and  how 
he  is  getting  on  in  the  department  to  which  he  was  assigned. 
By  skilful  questioning  the  employment  manager  learns  the 
**lay  of  the  land"  without  referring  to  the  specific  reason  for 
the  interview  unless  it  is  really  advisable  to  do  so.  In  this 
way  the  employee  is  encouraged  to  unburden  his  mind  if 
he  has  any  reason  to  assign  for  his  poor  showing.  The  facts 
obtained  from  the  interview  may  lead  to  a  very  differ- 
ent handling  of  the  affair  from  what  might  have  been  ex- 
pected. 

One  banking  firm  never  discharges  an  employee ;  it  accepts 
his  resignation  instead.  It  very  often  happens,  but  in  most 
cases  as  a  last  resort,  that  the  employee  is  kept  on  the 
pay-roll  until  another  position  is  found  for  him,  either 
through  his  own  efforts  or  with  the  aid  of  the  employ- 
ment department. 


332 


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ABSENTEEISM,    TARDINESS,   DISCHARGES  341 

A  Department  Store  Method 

A  department  store,  which  is  representative  of  its  class, 
cites  as  its  only  reasons  for  discharge  the  following: 

1.  Continued  poor  deportment  after  repeated  warning 

2.  Incompetence 

3.  Insubordination 

4.  Irregular  attendance 

5.  Lateness 

6.  Reduction  of  force 

7.  Failure  in  physical  examination 

The  resignations  in  this  establishment  are  classified  under 
two  general  headings:  (i)  reasons  within  control  of  the  com- 
pany, such  as  dissatisfaction  with  pay  or  work;  (2)  reasons 
beyond  their  control,  such  as  disagreement  of  an  unadjustable 
nature,  hours  too  long,  illness,  death,  leaving  city,  marriage, 
or  returning  to  school.  To  get  as  thorough  a  report  as  pos- 
sible, this  concern  has  divided  the  store  into  eighteen  divisions, 
analyzing  each  of  the  divisional  separations  in  the  light  of 
reasons  given.  Besides  this,  a  graphic  report  is  made  in  which 
figures  are  represented  by  different  colored  curves.  A  glance 
at  any  of  the  divisions  represented  shows  whether  its  "separa- 
tions" record  is  up  to  standard  or  not. 

Turnover  and  Discharge 

Turnover,  as  a  business  and  industrial  disease  and  the 
cause  of  prodigious  economic  waste,  has  been  discussed  else- 
where. Carefully  prepared  reports  covering  separations  should 
be  compiled  and  analyzed  daily,  weekly,  monthly,  and  an- 
nually by  the  employment  department,  that  the'  pulse,  so  to 
speak,  of  the  organization  may  be  felt,  and  the  condition  of 
the  "patient*'  ascertained.  Forms,  such  as  those  shown  in 
Figures  89a- j,  will  be  found  useful  in  preparing  such  reports. 
The  forms  are  self-explanatory,  and  may  be  adapted  with 
slight  variations  for  use  in  almost  any  business  concern. 


PART  V 
THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 


CHAPTER   XXVI 
SERVICE   WORK   IN    INDUSTRY 

Keeping  the  Worker  Contented 

Human  beings,  after  all,  are  the  most  essential  elements 
in  industry.  It  is  conducted  by  them  and  for  their  benefit; 
and  in  recent  years  the  importance  of  providing  for  them 
has  been  increasingly  recognized.  The  man  who  works  with 
his  hands,  the  office  worker,  and  those  who  employ  and  super- 
vise, live  under  much  the  same  circumstances,  have  the  same 
hopes,  aspirations,  and  emotions,  and  are  susceptible  to  the 
same  influences  and  conditions. 

The  employment  manager,  supervising  every  relationship 
pertaining  to  the  human  element  between  management  and 
men,  must  devise  and  institute  a  program  of  industrial  welfare 
which  will  keep  valuable  workers  with  the  firm  and  maintain 
their  loyalty  at  a  maximum.  He  must  aim  in  every  possible 
way  to  make  each  man's  career  in  the  plant  permanent  and 
satisfactory. 

A  brief  outline  of  the  ideas  that  have  been  successful  in 
making  the  worker  more  contented  and  in  giving  him  an 
opportunity  for  a  broader  life  is  presented  in  the  following 
paragraphs.  For  detailed  methods  of  working  out  in  practice 
the  plans  suggested,  a  comprehensive  discussion  of  each  plan 
would  be  necessary — impossible,  of  course,  in  limited  space.^ 

Getting  Acquainted 

The  process  of  making  the  worker  satisfied  with  his  job 

^  A  detailed  study  and  practical  manual   of  service  work  is   "Labor  Maintenance," 
by    Daniel    Bloomfield,    Ronald    Press    Company,    New    York,    1920. 

345 


346  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

should  start  immediately  upon  his  coming  to  work;  first  im- 
pressions are  the  most  lasting.  The  best  and  most  competent 
person  can  be  discouraged  by  an  unfavorable  reception.  His 
future  usefulness  may  be  so  impaired  that  he  will  either  leave 
or  be  discharged.  Personal  interest  at  the  start  helps  him 
over  the  critical  period.  There  are  two  ways  by  which  this 
personal  introduction  may  be  effected :  ( i )  by  an  introduction 
committee;  (2)  by  a  member  of  the  employment  department. 

Introduction  committees,  responsible  for  the  introduction 
of  new  employees  into  the  plant,  are  usually  composed  of  the 
foremen  of  the  various  departments  and  their  assistants.  A 
representative  of  the  committee,  usually  the  one  in  the  depart- 
ment where  the  applicant  is  destined  to  work,  is  called  to  the 
employment  office  to  pilot  the  man  to  his  job.  The  representa- 
tive then  introduces  the  new  employee  to  his  fellow-workers 
and  aids  him  in  "getting  settled"  in  the  best  possible  way. 

Where  there  is  no  introduction  committee,  a  member  of 
the  employment  office  staff  should  introduce  the  new  employee 
to  the  instruction  department  or  foreman,  and  the  foreman 
in  turn  should  see  that  he  is  made  acquainted  with  his  fellow- 
workers. 

The  new  employee  should  be  made  acquainted  with  the 
layout  of  the  plant — ^lockers,  toilets,  coatrooms,  and  other 
accommodations.  If  there  is  a  lunchroom  or  restaurant,  he 
should  be  assigned  to  a  table,  and,  at  the  eating  hour,  intro- 
duced to  those  sitting  with  him.  The  hospital  or  first-aid 
room  should  be  pointed  out  to  him  and  he  should  be  impressed 
with  the  necessity  of  going  there  at  once  if  he  is  injured. 

Information  regarding  the  company's  policies  and  rules 
may  be  issued  in  booklet  form  as  previously  suggested. 

Keeping  in  Touch  with  the  New  Employee 

During  the  first  few  weeks  of  employment,  the  period  in 
which   the   greatest  turnover   occurs,   the   employment   office 


SERVICE  WORK  IN  INDUSTRY  347 

should  keep  in  close  contact  with  the  employee.  He  should 
be  interviewed,  if  possible,  at  the  completion  of  the  first  day's 
work.  A  friendly  chat  would  not  be  out  of  place  again  on 
each  of  the  following  few  days ;  and  again  at  the  end  of  the 
first  week,  or  possibly  the  second,  with  the  object  of  main- 
taining friendly  contact  with  him. 

A  tickler  file  in  the  employment  office  may  be  used  as  a 
reminder  to  call  for  periodic  follow-up  reports  from  foremen, 
covering  the  progress  of  an  employee.  The  progress  to  be 
noted  should  include  productivity,  skill,  conduct,  deportment, 
the  employee's  attitude  towards  his  work  and  fellow-workers, 
average  earnings,  and  any  recommendations  the  foreman 
wishes  to  make.  This  report  may  be  rendered  on  a  form 
similar  to  the  foreman's  report  (Figure  19,  page  67)  and 
may  be  used  by  the  employment  department  as  a  basis  for 
action  concerning  an  employee.  If  the  training,  production, 
or  other  record  of  an  employee  is  shown  to  be  low,  he  is 
interviewed  to  determine  the  reason,  and  aid  is  offered  him 
in  case  it  may  seem  wise  and  necessary,  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  company. 

Working  Conditions 

An  employee's  environment  has  a  direct  bearing  on  his 
output.  The  employment  office,  therefore,  in  its  investiga- 
tions of  conditions  in  the  plant,  should  recommend  to  the 
proper  authorities  and  co-operate  in  every  way  with  them  to 
establish  desirable  working  conditions.  Such  faults  as  defec- 
tive lighting,  excess  water,  harmful  dirt,  gases,  smoke,  fumes, 
etc.,  may  need  to  be  remedied.  Cleanly  surroundings  in 
general  should  be  maintained,  and  sufficient  toilets,  con- 
veniently located,  are  essential. 

Individual  lockers  contribute  to  the  worker's  ease  of  mind 
about  the  safety  of  his  apparel  and  possessions.  Shower  baths 
add  to  his  comfort  and  health  and  should  be  installed  when 


34^  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

practicable.  Gloves,  goggles,  and  special  boots  may  be  kept 
on  hand  in  the  stockrooms  or  tool  cribs  for  the  convenience 
of  workers  needing  them.  Working  clothes,  in  assorted  sizes, 
might  also  be  kept  on  hand  for  giving  out  when  requested 
in  case  of  emergency.  Drinking  water  in  abundance,  available 
either  at  fountains  or  delivered  at  regular  intervals,  should 
be  supplied. 

The  suitable  arrangement  of  time  clocks  avoids  congestion. 
Workers  rightfully  resent  being  exposed  to  inclement  weather 
while  waiting  their  turn  at  the  pay  window.  They  are  some- 
times forced  to  stand  around,  soaked  to  the  skin  during  a 
heavy  rain,  scorched  in  a  hot  spell,  or  nearly  frozen  on  a  cold 
day,  because  proper  shelter  has  not  been  provided.  If  prac- 
ticable, a  shelter  roof,  enclosure,  or  area  way,  leading  from 
all  parts  of  the  plant  to  the  outside  (and  if  not  too  far  away, 
to  the  car  line)  should  be  constructed. 

Eating  Facilities 

It  is  an  old  and  true  saying  that  one  way  to  a  man's  heart 
is  through  his  stomach.  Good  wholesome  food,  well  prepared 
and  tastefully  served  in  cleanly  and  bright  surroundings,  goes 
far  toward  making  the  work  day  pleasant.  A  well-ordered 
employees'  dining-room,  charging  reasonable  prices,  sometimes 
selling  at  actual  cost,  is  an  indication  to  the  worker  that  the 
management  is  concerned  about  his  health  and  convenience. 
A  plant  dining-room  of  that  sort  promotes  the  forming  of 
closer  acquaintances  and  brings  the  workers  together  at  a 
time  of  general  relaxation  when  they  are  receptive  of  ideas. 
Groups,  interchanged  periodically,  may  be  assigned  to  tables. 
Each  group,  while  together,  might  elect  a  head  to  act  as  a 
promoter  of  good  fellowship. 

If  it  is  not  possible  to  conduct  a  company  dining-room, 
encouragement  should  be  given  to  the  establishment  of  a 
restaurant,  lunchroom,  or  portable  lunch  distribution,  on  con- 


SERVICE  WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  349 

tract  with  outside  parties.     Eating  facilities  of  the  best  sort 
must  somehow  be  afforded  to  employees. 

Health  and  Safety 

Every  precaution  taken  by  a  plant  in  behalf  of  the  health 
of  workers  is  a  good  investment.  Men  should  be  encouraged 
to  go  to  the  dispensary  or  first-aid  room  at  once,  even  when 
injured  only  slightly,  since  the  slightest  abrasion  sometimes 
results  in  an  aggravated  bodily  disturbance,  such  as  blood 
poison.  During  such  visits  the  nurse  or  doctor  has  an  oppor- 
tunity to  note  the  general  state  of  health  of  the  employee, 
and  its  bearing  upon  his  work.  Seemingly  small  defects  of 
vision  or  eye-strain  interfere  with  a  worker's  efficiency,  and 
defective  hearing  may  be  the  cause  of  serious  accident.  Tooth- 
ache, pyorrhea,  and  other  ailments  all  impair  the  worker's 
productivity  as  well  as  his  "joy  of  living."  Some  plants  even 
employ  dentists,  oculists,  and  aurists,  as  well  as  regular  general 
practitioners.     (See  Chapter  XXVIII.) 

Safety  work  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  expert. 
The  efforts  of  this  official  to  educate  workers  in  the  observance 
of  safety  rules  will  be  materially  assisted  by  the  appointment 
of  a  safety  committee,  consisting  of  the  employment  manager, 
foremen,  and  certain  chosen  workers.  The  installation  of 
safety  devices  constitutes  20  per  cent  of  the  safety  problem; 
the  other  80  per  cent  consists  of  education.  Constant  re- 
minders against  the  possibility  of  injury  to  the  worker  or  his 
fellows  finally  result  in  instinctive  avoidance  of  hazard.  Fire 
drills  and  the  handling  of  fire-fighting  apparatus  should  be  a 
part  of  the  training,  even  though  the  automatic  sprinkler  sys- 
tem is  installed. 

Housing  and  Stores 

The  influx  of  workers  to  industrial  centers  has  caused  great 
congestion  and   shortage  of  desirable  living  quarters.     The 


350  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

housing  problem  has  thus  become  particularly  vital,  since  the 
stabilizing  influence  that  home-owning  has  on  the  worker  is 
very  great;  and  next  to  home-owning,  comes  the  ability  to 
secure  commodious  and  conveniently  located  living  quarters 
at  reasonable  prices.  Chapter  XXX  discusses  this  important 
problem  in  detail. 

Co-operative  stores,  dealing  in  every-day  necessities,  lighten 
the  financial  burdens  which  may  be  unduly  heavy  on  those 
having  large  families.  An  excellent  example  of  a  successful 
co-operative  store,  as  described  by  Dr.  R.  S.  Quinby,  Service 
Manager  for  the  Hood  Rubber  Company,  is  presented  in 
Appendix  D. 

Transportation 

Transportation  and  housing  are  the  twin  bugbears  that 
confront  many  firms  in  the  industrial  centers.  Even  though 
the  transportation  facilities  are  good,  the  supply  of  houses 
may  be  insufficient  and  even  though  there  are  enough  houses, 
the  distance  to  be  traveled,  coupled  with  insufficient  means 
of  transport,  may  make  the  last  condition  as  bad  as  the  first. 

The  personnel  man  must  find  a  way  out  of  local  transporta- 
tion problems.  If  bus  lines  or  ferry-boats  are  used  by  workers, 
the  operation  of  those  utilities  should  be  investigated.  A  list 
of  those  in  the  plant  having  automobiles  might  be  compiled, 
and  request  made  of  them,  if  necessary,  to  carry  their  co- 
workers living  in  the  same  locality  at  the  same  rates  the 
workers  otherwise  would  have  to  pay  by  bus  or  car  or  train. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  most  common  transportation  dis- 
orders: 

1.  Not  sufficient  cars,  buses,  or  trains. 

2.  Car  or  train  terminus  not  close  enough  to  factory. 

3.  Overcrowded,  unsanitary  cars. 

4.  Irregular  and  unreliable  schedules. 


SERVICE   WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  351 

5.  Other  lines  not  feeding  into  factory  line  dependably 

and  regularly. 

6.  No  car  service  to  new  portion  of  city. 

Methods  of  Solving  the  Transportation  Problem 

Some  of  these  conditions  may  be  controlled;  others  must 
be  met  by  adaptation.  If  the  car  company  is  not  operating 
sufficient  cars  to  the  plant,  if  the  cars  are  overcrowded  and 
unsanitary,  or  if  any  of  the  other  conditions  mentioned  exist, 
a  consultation  with  the  car  company  officials,  and,  if  necessary, 
with  the  city  officials,  may  be  arranged.  At  this  conference 
a  *'bill  of  particulars"  may  be  presented  with  all  the  necessary 
evidence  to  support  the  plant's  contentions.  If  it  should 
develop  that  the  car  line  would  not  be  financially  justified  in 
making  the  required  changes,  the  plant  may  offer  a  plan  of 
guaranteed  receipts,  making  up  the  difference  required;  or 
it  may  be  more  economical  for  the  plant  to  institute  a  trans- 
portation arrangement  of  its  own,  by  special  train,  trolley, 
bus,  or  even  ferry.  On  Staten  Island,  a  shipbuilding  company 
held  some  two  thousand  workers  in  touch  with  their  jobs  by 
running  ferry-boats  for  them  from  New  York  City  direct  to 
the  plant  wharves. 

The  adjustments  required  by  reason  of  inability  to  control 
outside  transportation  circumstances  may  involve,  changing 
the  time  of  shifts  or  the  hours  of  employees,  as  was  done 
in  a  factory  situated  in  a  certain  eastern  city. 

Before  going  to  the  expense  of  inaugurating  a  trans- 
portation system  of  its  own,  a  company  should  exhaust  its 
ingenuity  to  bring  about  improved  service  through  the  regular 
channels.  Representations  of  sufficient  weight,  made  to  the 
transportation  officials,  are  often  all  that  is  required,  especially 
if  the  plant  affected  is  a  patron  of  the  line  in  the  matter  of 
commodity  and  freight  shipment. 

The  law  of  supply  and  demand  frequently  inspires  private 


352  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

agencies  to  start  special  transportation  facilities.  The  encour- 
agement of  such  special  transportation,  properly  regulated  as 
to  charges  and  accommodations,  might  meet  the  exigency. 

The  Visiting  Nurse 

The  work  of  the  visiting  nurse  is  explained  in  the  state- 
ments of  the  various  prominent  concerns  quoted  in  Ap- 
pendix E.  Through  her  contact  with  the  homes  of  the  workers, 
the  nurse  is  in  an  advantageous  position  to  render  advice  and 
counsel  in  all  the  more  intimate  affairs  which  employees  or 
members  of  their  families  may  wish  to  bring  to  her  attention. 
Such  subjects  within  her  province,  as  better  cooking,  home 
ventilation,  and  sanitation,  may  be  covered  in  a  booklet. 

Plant  Publications 

The  plant  publication  is  an  important  educational  and 
inspirational  force.  In  it  may  be  printed  items  of  personal 
interest,  new  rules  and  regulations,  honor-rolls,  athletic 
records,  announcements  of  various  sorts — in  fact,  anything 
that  tends  to  bind  the  workers  and  management  closer  to- 
gether. Posters  and  bulletin  boards  may  also  be  used  to 
advantage. 

Suggestions  from  Workers 

To  encourage  observation  and  originality  of  thought,  a 
suggestion  system  should  be  inaugurated.  Instead  of  stifling 
criticisms  that  may  chance  to  be  constructive,  the  worker  will 
be  afforded  an  outlet  for  his  opinion.  Many  improvements 
in  the  plant  may  follow,  especially  if  his  thoughts  are  quickened 
by  offers  of  reward  for  suggestions  that  are  adopted.  A 
suggestion  committee  may  be  appointed,  with  the  employment 
manager  as  a  member,  to  pass  upon  all  suggestions  presented, 
and  to  decide  upon  the  proper  reward  for  those  accepted.    The 


SERVICE   WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  353 

rewards  may  be  in  the  form  of  cash  prizes,  promotions,  vaca- 
tions with  pay,  commendation  in  the  plant  publication,  and 
the  like. 

Suggestion  systems  have  not,  it  is  true,  been  uniformly 
successful ;  some  concerns  have  abandoned  them  as  provocative 
of  complaint  and  jealousy.  Nevertheless,  if  a  suggestion 
system  is  based  on  right  principles  and  operated  with  a  desire 
to  encourage  originality  among  employees,  as  well  as  to  secure 
new  ideas  on  general  improvement,  it  will  be  productive  of 
exceedingly  good  results.  A  plan  that  can  be  safely  copied 
in  its  essentials  is  in  operation  in  the  National  Cash  Register 
Company,  Dayton,  Ohio.     (See  Appendix  F.) 

Social  and  Recreational  Activities 

The  play  side  of  human  nature  should  be  provided  for. 
Human  beings  are  not  machines,  and  are  not  content  with 
mere  inactivity  outside  working  hours.  Recreation  and  amuse- 
ment may  be  made  constructive  and  profitable  if  directed  along 
the  right  lines.  The  formation  of  a  social  committee,  elected 
by  the  workers  in  each  department,  should  be  encouraged. 
This  committee  may  in  turn  appoint  subcommittees  to  direct 
the  different  activities,  such  as  dances,  theatricals,  picnics, 
choral  singing,  bands  and  orchestras,  athletics,  games,  and 
other  social  activities. 

One  result  of  competitive  games  and  socials  developed  and 
participated  in  by  employees,  is  the  bringing  out  of  leadership 
qualities  and  organizing  ability.  The  natural  leaders  soon 
stand  out  from  the  mass  of  workers;  when  a  large  number 
participate,  a  few  naturally  assume  responsibility.  This  as- 
sumption of  responsibility  is  oftentimes  evidence  of  qualities 
required  in  supervising  positions. 

The  various  social  and  other  gatherings  of  employees  serve 
to  eliminate  class  feelings;  the  office  and  the  factory  worker 
tend  to  lose  their  petty  prejudices  after  mingling  together  and 


354  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

getting  acquainted.  The  superior  air  oi  the  office  worker 
towards  the  shop  worker  vanishes;  the  man  in  overalls  loses 
his  contempt  for  the  white-collared  office  man,  and  general 
good  feeling  is  promoted. 

The  Foreman  and  the  Workman 

The  way  in  which  a  worker  is  treated  by  his  foreman 
makes  or  mars  his  usefulness  to  a  plant.  The  foreman  should 
train  himself  to  be  just  and  impartial  to  workmen,  to  act  as 
a  counselor  and  leader,  and  by  his  example  evoke  their  best 
efforts. 

While  discipline  is  necessary  in  any  organization,  it  need 
not  be  harshly  administered.  Discipline,  as  enforced  by  some 
supervisors,  often  has  an  effect  contrary  to  what  is  intended. 
Nothing  is  to  be  gained  by  bullying  and  swearing  at  men. 
Such  practices  may  have  been  tolerated  in  the  past,  but  they 
do  not  fit  in  with  present-day  ideas  of  right  supervision.  Al- 
though a  man  may  keep  at  his  task  after  a  severe  **call  down," 
he  becomes  resentful ;  consciously  or  unconsciously  he  takes  a 
dislike  to  his  superiors,  and  consequently  is  unable  to  do  his 
work  to  the  best  advantage.  Military  discipline  is  necessary 
in  an  army,  but  it  fails  absolutely  to  function  in  the  factory. 
Orders  should  not  only  be  given  but  explained.  Anyone  can 
boss,  but  to  direct  properly,  through  kindly  criticism  and 
instruction,  is  an  art.  A  man  often  makes  mistakes  because 
he  is  not  familiar  with  his  work  or  with  the  policy  of  the 
company.  Hasty  discipline  administered  in  such  a  case  is  not 
well  advised. 

At  a  meeting  of  poultry  fanciers,  the  owner  of  the  prize- 
winning  hens,  which  were  valued  at  $10,000,  made  the  follow- 
ing statement:  *T  discharged  one  of  the  caretakers  because 
he  yelled  at  the  hens."  The  foreman  should  single  out  and 
talk  to  the  most  "influential  offenders"  against  discipline. 
These  men  should  be  made  to  feel  a  personal  obligation  to 


SERVICE   WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  355 

Stand  by  and  assist  him,  instead  of  obstructing  him,  because 
he  is  responsible  for  the  quantity  and  quality  of  work  turned 
out,  as  well  as  for  the  conduct  of  the  workmen. 

Two  Attitudes  Contrasted 

A  man  should  not  be  taken  to  task  in  the  hearing  of  others. 
A  foreman  whom  everyone  regarded  as  a  very  successful 
supervisor,  and  who  had  great  influence  over  the  men  in  his 
department,  was  asked  what  methods  he  used.  He  attributed 
his  success  to  the  considerate  treatment  accorded  his  men, 
remarking:  ''I  treat  them  as  I  would  wish  to  be  treated.  I 
never  abuse  them.  I  always  make  it  a  personal  obligation  on 
their  part  to  do  things  for  me." 

On  one  occasion  this  foreman  was  overheard  talking  to  a 
workman  who  had  violated  the  rule  against  smoking.  "Jo^^^/* 
he  said,  "you  have  been  smoking  while  on  the  job  and  you 
know  that  it  is  strictly  against  the  rules.  I  have  but  two  eyes 
and  can  see  but  so  many  things.  Sometimes  I  close  one  and 
overlook  something.  But  someone  else  may  see  you  and 
report.  Now  the  worst  that  can  happen  to  you  is  that  they 
will  fire  you.  This  I  shouldn't  like  to  happen,  because  you 
are  too  valuable  a  man  in  my  department.  It  is  true  that 
if  you  are  discharged,  you  need  have  no  fear  or  worry  about 
getting  another  job  some  other  place.  But  that  is  not  the 
question.  Any  misconduct  on  your  part  reflects  back  on  me. 
Even  if  you  should  leave,  that  may  end  the  affair  so  far  as 
you  are  concerned,  but  how  about  me?  It  will  be  recorded 
that  I  have  no  control  over  my  men  and  do  not  know  how 
to  handle  them.  My  record  will  be  affected.  Now  is  that 
fair  to  me?"  This  was  said  in  a  way  that  was  calm  but 
appealing.  The  response  from  the  offender  was,  "I  promise 
you  never  to  smoke  again  while  on  the  job." 

Contrast  this  instance  with  that  of  another  foreman  who 
was  in  the  habit  of  using  vile  language  when  reprimanding 


35^  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

men.  Not  satisfied  with  cursing  a  worker,  he  extended  his 
vulgar  references  to  include  the  employee's  entire  list  of  rela- 
tives. When  he  was  advised  to  curb  his  temper  and  refrain 
from  such  tactics,  he  replied :  *'If  I  were  to  talk  to  a  workman 
in  a  gentlemanly  manner,  he  would  think  I  was  kidding  him." 
This  foreman  so  enraged  a  worker  by  his  abuse  on  one  occa- 
sion that  he  received  severe  chastisement.  He  was  so  beaten 
up,  indeed,  that  he  was  unable  to  return  to  his  duties  for 
several  weeks,  and  then,  realizing  that  lack  of  self-control 
unfitted  him  for  leadership,  he  sought  the  only  position  open 
to  him — in  the  rank  and  file. 

The  following  instance  illustrates  the  far-reaching  effects 
which  courteous  orders  may  have:  The  general  manager  of 
a  street-railway  system  transmitted  his  instructions  to  the  next 
officer  in  a  disagreeable  manner.  In  like  manner  the  assistant 
manager  issued  them  to  the  various  superintendents,  and  so 
on  down  the  line.  They  were  transmitted  as  they  were  re- 
ceived, until  they  reached  the  conductors  and  motormen,  who 
treated  the  public  as  their  superiors  treated  them.  Severe 
criticism  on  the  part  of  the  public  caused  an  investigation  to 
be  made,  the  result  of  which  pointed  the  finger  of  blame  at  the 
directing  official,  whose  arrogant  personality  had  permeated 
the  whole  organization.  When  he  was  supplanted  by  one  who 
appreciated  the  importance  of  right  relations,  a  new  spirit, 
very  noticeable  to  the  public,  was  manifested  among  the  em- 
ployees of  the  road. 

,    Human  Relations 

The  employment  manager  and  the  foremen  should  be  con- 
cerned in  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  the  workers.  The  employ- 
ment manager,  with  the  foreman's  aid,  is  in  a  position  to 
obtain  information  regarding  sickness  in  the  families  of 
employees,  marriages,  births,  deaths,  and  other  important 
events.     Information  of  this  sort  reaching  the  employment 


SERVICE  WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  357 

office  serves  as  a  basis  for  adjustments,  and  also,  if  the  policy 
of  the  company  permits,  as  a  reminder  to  send  flowers,  mes- 
sages of  condolence,  or  gifts,  as  the  nature  of  the  occasion 
may  suggest.  It  is  a  practice  in  some  concerns  to  send  flowers 
in  the  event  of  death  in  a  worker's  family,  a  physician  or 
nurse  in  case  of  sickness,  or  a  gift  of  some  sort  upon  the  visit 
of  the  stork. 

Commendation  for  work  well  done  costs  nothing  and 
means  much.  One  successful  employer  of  men  says:  **I 
never  criticize,  I  always  praise.  When  I  fail  to  praise,  the 
person  knows  his  work  is  not  well  done."  To  the  worker, 
evidence  of  favorable  notice  is  like  water  to  the  parched 
ground — the  mind  and  hand  respond  to  it  with  eagerness. 
Tangible  rewards  are  fine  and  not  to  be  overlooked,  but  the 
foreman's  appreciation  of  skill  and  thoroughness  in  his  sub- 
ordinates establishes  a  loyalty  and  good-will  that  cannot  be 
measured  in  dollars  and  cents. 

The  Employment  Manager  the  Link  Between  Employer  and 
Employee 

All  roads  in  a  plant  should  lead  to  the  employment  office. 
To  this  clearing-house  of  human  relations,  the  worker  should 
come  with  requests  for  advice;  here  complaints  should  be 
corrected  before  they  become  grievances ;  fancied  wrongs  ad- 
justed; and  undercurrents  of  discontent  killed  at  their  incep- 
tion. Tactfully  and  sympathetically,  the  employment  manager 
should  direct  the  many  activities  that  are  centered  under  his 
control.  He  should  search  for  facts  and  not  for  faults;  he 
should  not  depend  upon  mere  gossip ;  he  should  hold  inviolate 
all  confidences,  and  inspire  the  same  openness  and  frankness 
from  the  worker  which  the  worker  gets  from  him.  Standing 
on  neutral  ground,  the  employment  manager  is  the  greatest 
force  in  industry  today  for  the  fusing  of  interests  that  in  the 


358  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

past  have  caused  management  and  worker  to  travel  different 
roads. 


Profit-Sharing 

Other  items  of  importance  that  naturally  fall  under  the 
heading  of  service  work  are  profit-sharing  plans,  bonus  sys- 
tems, pensions,  and  stock-owning. 

Profit-sharing  has  been  a  means,  when  carefully  planned 
and  carried  out,  of  attracting  and  holding  the  best  class  of 
workers.  A  share  in  the  profits  is  considered  by  the  worker 
a  reward  for  excellence  of  service  and  not  a  gift.  In  fact, 
all  similar  plans  for  including  the  worker  in  the  distribution 
of  the  company's  earnings  are  now  looked  upon  as  sound 
business  practice.  Profit-sharing  systems  are  numerous  and 
varied  in  character,  but  the  method  of  application  must  in 
every  instance  be  worked  out  to  suit  the  needs  of  the  in- 
dividual firm. 

Bonuses 

There  are  many  types  of  bonus  systems,  including  bonuses 
for  production,  for  attendance,  for  length  of  service,  elimina- 
tion of  waste,  night  work,  completion  of  apprenticeship 
courses,  etc.  A  detailed  discussion  of  bonuses  is  impossible 
in  a  short  survey,  but  certain  fundamentals  that  underlie  both 
bonus  and  profit-sharing  systems  can  be  set  forth  briefly. 

Rewards  should  be  so  adjusted  that  every  time  a  worker 
completes  a  unit  of  work,  he  knows  that  he  is  earning  some- 
thing extra;  the  reward  should  come  to  him  as  an  additional 
"bit."  Men  must  not  be  kept  waiting  for  their  bonuses ;  every 
pay  envelope  should  contain  the  bonus  earned,  in  part  or  in 
full,  despite  the  work  involved  in  keeping  current  bonus 
records.  In  any  event,  bonuses  for  workers  should  not  be 
optional  nor  deferred  beyond  three  months. 


SERVICE   WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  359 

The  workers  in  a  large  manufacturing  plant,  for  example, 
were  led  to  believe  that  a  bonus  was  forthcoming  every  Christ- 
mas. The  receipt  of  an  unexpected  notice  from  the  firm  an- 
nouncing merely  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  pay  the 
anxiously  looked  for  reward,  resulted  in  much  ill  feeling  on 
the  part  of  the  workmen.  It  is  bad  policy  to  keep  men  in 
suspense,  since  a  disappointment  of  this  kind  may  affect  un- 
favorably the  efficiency  of  the  whole  force. 

Bonus  and  profit-sharing  for  supervisors  and  executives 
presents  a  different  problem.  In  such  cases  the  half-yearly 
or  yearly  bonus  is  usually  satisfactory. 

Length-of-Service  Bonuses 

Where  rewards  are  given  for  length  of  service  to  the  more 
valuable  employees  and  executives,  proportionate  sums  should 
be  spread  out  over  a  term  of  service;  that  is,  the  recipients 
should  be  tied  up  with  the  firm  by  withholding  some  part  of 
the  amount  due  them.  It  is  sometimes  the  case  that  valuable 
executives  and  department  heads  who  have  other  jobs  in  view, 
sometimes  leave  immediately  after  a  full  bonus  is  received. 
If  the  largest  portion  is  withheld  and  allowed  to  accumulate 
from  year  to  year,  but  forfeited  upon  leaving,  it  tends  to 
hold  and  stabilize  them. 

Arranging  bonuses,  especially  for  length  of  service,  must 
be  managed  with  discretion.  Valuable  men  are  often  lured 
away  by  seemingly  attractive  offers  in  other  plants,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  their  bonuses  may  be  jeopardized  or  lost  by 
their  leaving.  After  trying  new  jobs  and  not  finding  them 
to  their  liking,  such  employees  may  desire  to  return,  especially 
if  they  can  get  the  bonus  that  was  forfeited.  It  is  well  to 
retain  a  bonus  for  those  who  leave  for  other  work,  but  return 
within  a  definite  tirne,  say  one  month.  It  frequently  makes 
men  more  appreciative  and  the  new  experience  causes  them 
to  value  their  jobs  more  highly. 


360  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Production  Bonuses 

Production  bonuses  are  usually  paid  after  some  standard- 
ized plan,  and  constitute  an  integral  part  of  wages. 

Continuous  Service  Defined 

In  those  cases  where  a  corporation  installs  a  service  pen- 
sion, or  a  bonus,  or  a  supplementary  wage,  or  any  other  form 
of  benefit,  the  distribution  of  which  depends  upon  the  employee 
having  completed  a  certain  term  of  continuous  service,  it  is 
obvious  that  a  series  of  very  essential  questions  arise  as  to 
what  constitutes  "continuous  service."  It  becomes  necessary, 
therefore,  to  define  the  term  with  care,  and  to  lay  down,  by 
means  of  a  set  of  rules,  the  exact  effect  of  absences  for  various 
reasons,  or  leaves  of  absence  with  or  without  pay  and  for 
various  purposes,  and  of  the  interval  between  discharge  and 
re-employment  under  various  conditions. 

General  Electric  Company's  Rules  on  Continuous  Service 

To  illustrate  the  manner  in  which  this  problem  is  met, 
the  rules  of  the  General  Electric  Company  relative  to  con- 
tinuous service  are  here  given.  This  company  gives  a  5  per 
cent  supplementary  compensation  to  all  employees  who  have 
rendered  five  years  or  more  of  continuous  service.  For  those 
with  ten  years'  service  or  more,  a  week's  vacation  with  pay 
is  added.  After  twenty  years  of  continuous  service,  an  em- 
ployee may  be  retired  on  a  pension,  which  continues  until 
death.  The  amount  of  this  pension  increases  with  the  term 
of  the  service  beyond  twenty  years.  The  rules  governing  the 
determination  of  each  employee's  service  record  are: 

I.  Temporary  absence  and  temporary  layoff  on  account 
of  illness  or  because  of  reduction  in  force  will  not  be  con- 
sidered as  a  break  in  the  continuity  of  service,  but  when  such 
absence  exceeds  six  consecutive  months  it  will  be  deducted  in 
computing  length  of  active  service. 


SERVICE  WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  3^1 

2.  If  any  employee,  after  leaving  the  service  of  the  com- 
pany, shall  be  re-employed,  he  shall  be  considered  as  a  new 
employee. 

3.  Leaving  the  service,  as  referred  to  in  rule  2,  is  defined 
as  follows: 

(a)  When  an  employee  leaves  voluntarily  or  is  definitely 

discharged. 

(b)  When  an  employee  absents  himself  from  duty  for 

two  consecutive  weeks  or  longer,  without  satisfac- 
tory explanation. 

(c)  When  an  employee,  originally  laid  off  because  of 

reduction  in  force,  fails  to  apply  for  re-employ- 
ment within  six  months,  or,  being  notified  that  he 
may  return,  fails  to  do  so  within  two  weeks  of 
the  date  of  such  notice  without  satisfactory  ex- 
planation. 

(d)  When  an  employee,  originally  laid  off  because  of 

illness,  fails  to  keep  his  department  head  informed 
monthly,  or  otherwise  obtain  approval  of  his 
absence. 

4.  Leave  of  absence  without  pay  may  be  granted  individual 
employees  at  the  discretion  of  managers,  but  in  every  case 
it  must  be  arranged  in  advance.  If  such  absence  exceeds 
three  months,  it  must  be  approved  by  the  Supplementary 
Compensation  Committee  in  advance,  and  the  time,  if  it  ex- 
ceeds six  months,  shall  be  deducted  in  computing  the  net  term 
of  service. 

5.  Leave  of  absence  without  pay,  for  the  purpose  of  secur- 
ing a  higher  education  and  subsequently  returning  to  active 
service  in  this  company,  shall  not  be  considered  as  a  break  in 
service,  provided  arrangements  are  made  in  advance.  If 
such  absence  is  to  exceed  three  months,  it  must  be  approved 
by  the  Supplementary  Compensation  Committee,  and  the  time. 


362  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

if  it  exceeds  six  months,  shall  be  deducted  in  computing  the 
net  term  of  service. 

6.  Supplementary  compensation  for  five-year  service  shall 
be  calculated  only  on  the  regular  and  overtime  pay-roll  earn- 
ings for  service  actually  performed,  as  will  also  the  10  per 
cent  or  any  other  bonus  paid  coincidently  with  regular  wage 
or  salary  payments. 

Standard  Oil  Plan 

The  annuity  and  benefit  plan  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company 
is  another  excellent  example  of  a  plan  which  operates  success- 
fully.   It  is  presented  in  detail  in  Appendix  G. 

Rewards  as  a  Means  of  Discouraging  Tardiness  and  Absence 

Bonuses  or  rewards  for  good  attendance  records  are,  as 
was  said  in  Chapter  XV,  more  effective  than  penalties. 
Various  forms  of  rewards  are  in  use  to  discourage  tardiness 
and  absences,  such  as  allowing  two  weeks'  vacation  with  pay, 
or  adding  2  per  cent  or  even  5  per  cent  payable  each  month 
to  earnings.     Rewards  of  this  sort  exert  a  positive  influence. 

Service  Pensions  and  Insurance 

Service  pensions  and  bonuses  are  closely  allied  in  character 
and  scope.  The  pension  may  cover  disabiHty  in  line  of  duty, 
or  accrue  to  one  who  has  spent  many  years  in  the  employ 
of  a  company  and  has  reached  the  age  of  retirement. 

Insurance  carried  by  the  employer  in  favor  of  workers 
is  an  added  inducement  or  bonus ;  it  is  a  practicable  and  effec- 
tive way  for  an  employer  to  express  his  appreciation  of  the 
stability  and  worth  of  his  employees.  Group  insurance  appeals 
strongly  to  the  workers,  because  it  blankets  alike  the  physically 
perfect  and  those  who  on  account  of  some  defect  are  denied 
this  protection  for  their  families.  A  combination  of  insurance, 
attendance  bonus,  and  pension  plan  which  has  been  adopted 


SERVICE   WORK   IN   INDUSTRY  3^3 

in  a  copper-smelting  and  rolling  company,  commends  itself 
as  an  excellent  expedient  to  reduce  labor  turnover  and  raise 
the  standard  of  work  and  workers.  The  explanation  of  the 
plan — for  the  information  of  the  workers — is  on  the  first 
inside  leaf  of  a  9J4  x  8j4  folder,  and  a  space  to  keep  account 
of  earnings,  etc.,  is  on  the  other.     (See  Figure  90.) 

Stock-Owning 

Employees  who  are  granted  the  privilege  of  owning  stock 
in  a  co'mpany  become  in  reality  partners  in  the  concern.  Such 
stock-owning  is  the  very  heart  of  * 'industrial  democracy." 

The  plan  worked  out  well  recently  in  a  large  food  products 
house  which  had  lost  many  highly  trained  executives  because 
of  more  attractive  salaries  offered  them  in  other  plants.  To 
avoid  this  drain  upon  the  company's  human  assets,  the  officials 
got  together  and  evolved  the  following  unique  plan  of  stock- 
owning:  The  stock,  which  was  exclusive  and  had  for  years 
been  above  par,  was  sold  to  the  executives  at  par,  in  blocks 
of  one,  four,  five,  and  ten  shares.  Those  taking  ten  shares 
of  stock  were  given  one  share  of  stock  of  a  subsidiary  com- 
pany. From  5  per  cent  to  25  per  cent  of  the  price  could  be 
paid  in  cash  at  the  time  of  purchase,  and  notes  could  be  taken 
for  the  balance,  the  notes  to  be  taken  care  of  in  monthly  or 
quarterly  payments.  The  notes  bore  interest  at  6  per  cent, 
while  the  stock  dividends  accruing  from  the  entire  number  of 
shares  contracted  for  were  at  the  rate  of  8  per  cent  guaranteed. 
This  netted  the  holder  2  per  cent  profit  on  a  cumulative  basis. 
Without  actually  paying  more  than  the  initial  payment  of 
25  per  cent,  the  ownership  of  the  stock  would  pass  in  its 
entirety  to  the  employee  in  fifteen  years.  On  the  same  basis 
of  payments  (monthly  or  quarterly),  without  any  initial  pay- 
ment, the  stock  would  be  paid  for  in  twenty-two  years.  Not 
more  than  five  blocks  of  ten  shares  were  sold  to  any  one 
person.    The  plan  as  worked  out  in  detail  is  as  follows : 


3^4 


THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 


Keep  account  of  your  Wages  for  a  Year. 

WTTTH  a  view  of  showing  appreciation  of 
W     continuou*  service  and  increased  value 
of  the  service  of  old  employees  and  to  en- 
courage new  employees  all  are  asked  to  take 
notice  that   this  Company  has    in  operation 
the  following: 

After  one  year's  steady  employmeat  every 
employee   on   the   hourly   roll   is  furnished  Life 
Insurance  without  charge  in  firor  of  his  Wife, 
Children,  Parents   or   other  dependents,  $1000.00 
for  married  men  and  $500.00  for  single  men.    For 
every  additional  year  of  service  this  is  increased 
$100.00   and   $50.00  respectively   until   the  total 
insurance  of  $1500.00  and  $750.00  U  reached. 

Also  after  one  year's  steadv  employment, 
at  the  end  of  each  month  a  service  bonus  is  paid 
in  blue  envelopes  at  the  rate  of  If  vet  hour 
worked. 

After  three  years  more,  or  four  years  from 
the  begiuDing  of  employment,  the  service  bonus 
is  increased  to  1^<  for  each  hour  woriied  and  u 
p«d  in  pink  envelopes. 

Employees  who  shall  have  reached  the  age. 
of  60  years  and  have  been  20  or  more  years  in 
the   service  of  the  Company  may,  at  .their  own 
request,  and  at  the  discreUon  of  the  Pension  Board, 
be  retired  from  acUve  service  and  become  eligihle 
to  a  pension.    No  pension  wiU  be  less  than  $20.00 
per  month. 

It  is  the  intention  of  this  Company  t«  con 
tinue  this  practice,  but  this  notice  u  not  to  be 
considered  a  Contrast  to  do  so. 

t'KSS?. 

Houaa 

*-pr." 

a^SSa 

Houaa 

.«r  1 

J«i.     5 

Jaly     6 

..     12 

-     IS 

-     19 

"     20 

"     26 

"    27 

Fd».    2 

Aog.    3 

Bofun 

Bonus 

Feb.    » 

Aug.  10 

"     16 

"     17 

"     23 

„     24 

Mar.   2 

"     31 

Bonus 

Bonus 

Mar.   9 

Sept.  7 

"     16 

••     14 

-    23 

"     21 

"    30 

..     28 

Bonos 

Apr.    6 

Oct'  S 

-     13  . 

"    12 

"     20 

"     19 

"     27 

..    26 

Bens 

No».    2 

Mar    4 

Bonos 

"     11 

Nov.    9 

"     18 

"     16 

~     25 

"    23 

Jom     1 

..     30 

Boms 

Bonus 

jMt     8 

D«..  7 

"     15 

"    14 

-    22 

"    21 

•   «     29 

•'     28 

Bon* 

Bonus 

TOTAL 

TOTAL 

Figure  90.     Explanation  of  Form  of  Record  with  Combination  Insurance, 
Attendance,  Bonus,  and  Pension  Plan,  adopted  in  a  Smelting  and  Rolling 
Company.     (Size  8}/^  x  g}/^.) 

This  folder  is  distributed  by  the  company  to  its  employees  for  their  information. 


SERVICE   WORK   IN    INDUSTRY  365 


Plan  for  Employee — Stock  Owning 

Cash  Payment  of  25%  on  10  Shares  Preferred  "B"  Stock 

8% Company,  with  i  Share  Common 

Stock Company  after  5th  Year, 

as  Special  Dividend 

Interest 
Dividend     Balance  Due         at  6% 

10  shares  stock Ii.ooo .  00 

Less  25%  cash  payment 250.00 

I750.00       I80.00  I4S.00 

35  00 


Balance  end  1st  year 1715- 00  $715.00 

37.10         80.00  42.90 

Balance  end  2d  year $677  •  9o  677 . 90 

39-33         80.00  40.67 

Balance  end  3d  year $638 .  57  638 .  57 

41.69         80.00  38.31 

Balance  end  4th  year $596.88  596.88 

44.19         80.00  35.81 

Balance  end  5th  year $552 .  69  552 . 69 

46.84         80.00  33.16 

Balance  end  6th  year $505 .  85  505 .  85 

4965         80.00  30.35 

Balance  end  7th  year $456 .  20  456 .  20 

52.63         80.00  27.38 

Balance  end  8th  year $403 .  57  403 .  57 

55-79         80.00  24.21 

Balance  end  9th  year $347  -  78  347  -  78 

59.14         80.00  20.86 


Balance  end  loth  year $288 .  64  288 .  64 

62.69         80.00  17.31 

Balance  end  nth  year $225.95  225.95 

66.4s         80.00  13-55 

Walance  end  12th  year $159.50  159.50 

70.43  80.00  9-57 

Balance  end  13th  year $89  07  89  07 

74-66  80.00  5.34 


Balance  end  14th  year $iS-4i  1541 

79.08         80.00  .92 


ISth  year  due  subscriber $63 .67 

Dividend  paid  stockholder  end  isth  year $      <53 .  67 

ID  shares Co.'s  Preferred  "B" 1,000.00 

I  share Co.'s  Common  Stock 100 .  00 


For  the  cost  of  $250 $1,163.67 

Cost  per  share  of  stock $16 .94 


366  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

This  plan  is  merely  illustrative  of  what  may  be  worked 
out  along  the  lines  of  stock-owning  by  employees.  Many  other 
successful  variations  of  the  plan  are  in  operation,  and  new 
schemes  are  constantly  being  installed. 

Internal  Banks  and  Savings  Schemes 

Thrift  is  a  virtue  that  needs  encouragement.  Temptations 
to  spend  and  fritter  away  money  on  non-essential  things  are 
many.  The  habit  of  saving  may  be  inculcated  in  many  ways, 
one  of  the  most  common  being  the  establishment  of  a  bank 
within  the  plant,  operated  by  the  paymaster's  department. 

The  first  suggestion  to  make  to  the  worker  is  that  he  save 
for  a  definite  object,  such  as  a  vacation,  new  furniture,  or 
future  schooling  for  his  children.  The  company  then  helps 
him  to  save  a  definite  sum  each  pay-day  by  deducting  it  from 
his  pay  and  placing  it  on  deposit.  This  develops  the  desire 
to  save  and  before  long,  saving  becomes  a  habit.  The  work- 
man will  be  surprised  to  see  how  his  deposits  will  accumulate 
in  a  comparatively  short  time. 

Often  as  an  inducement  to  save,  6  per  cent  interest  may 
be  paid.  An  even  greater  inducement  is  an  ofifer  to  add  $4 
to  the  first  $96  saved,  making  the  interest  10  per  cent  on  the 
first  $100.  This  plan,  of  course,  is  only  practicable  as  a 
means  of  starting  the  worker  on  the  road  to  thrift.  As- 
sistance may  gradually  be  dropped.  After  the  thrift  habit  is 
formed,  the  employee  should  transfer  his  financial  affairs  to 
an  outside  bank.  It  can  be  pointed  out  to  workers  that  the 
better  known  they  are  at  the  local  banks,  through  frequent 
visits  as  depositors,  the  more  likely  they  are  to  receive  as- 
sistance if  they  need  it. 

All  this  is  part  of  the  general  plan  of  bringing  the  workers 
closer  to  the  heart  of  the  management,  raising  their  standards, 
and  making  them  better  citizens  and  more  valuable  units  in 
industry. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

SERVICE   WORK   IN    THE   BUSINESS    HOUSE 

Scope  of  Chapter 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  discussed  service  work — 
recreational  and  social  schemes,  musical  organizations, 
restaurants,  co-operative  buying,  pensions,  insurance,  educa- 
tion, and  the  like — among  employees  of  industrial  plants.  Just 
as  this  branch  of  the  employment  department's  work  was 
touched  upon  only  briefly  in  that  chapter,  so  a  detailed  dis- 
cussion of  it  is  outside  the  scope  of  the  present  chapter  in 
connection  with  business  organizations/ 

The  underlying  principles  of  service  work  are  the  same 
for  all  business  and  industries,  as  outlined  in  Chapter  XXVI. 
The  purpose  of  the  present  chapter  is  merely  to  suggest  cer- 
tain specific  plans  of  the  work  particularly  applicable  to  busi- 
ness and  to  show  how  certain  plans  have  been  worked  out 
successfully  in  practice. 

Purpose  of  Service  Work 

Service  work  is  not  a  substitute  for  wages.  Provisions 
for  the  comfort  and  general  contentment  of  workers  must 
be  entirely  free  from  any  interference  with  personal  liberties ; 
and  no  amount  of  service  work  can  take  the  place  of  oppor- 
tunity for  advancement.  Adequate  wages,  reasonable  hours 
of  work,  opportunity  for  training,  education,  and  advance- 
ment, and  healthful,  pleasant  working  conditions  are  funda- 
mental.    Service  work  is  the  factor  that  helps  to  create  a 

1  For    a    full    discussion    of    service    work,    see    "Labor    Maintenance,"    by    Daniel 
Bloomfield,  Ronald  Press  Company,  New   York.      1920. 

367 


368  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

fraternity  of  interest,  mutualizing  the  activities  of  workers 
and  management. 

The  first  thing  to  do  after  the  ventilation,  sanitation,  light- 
ing, and  heating  of  an  establishment  have  been  carefully  at- 
tended to,  is  to  inaugurate  short  intervals  for  relaxation  or 
exercise  for  the  employees. 

The  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company,  for  instance, 
has  a  five-minute  rest  period  at  ii  a.m.  and  again  at  3  p.m., 
during  which  windows  are  thrown  open  and  the  clerks  en- 
couraged to  engage  in  breathing  exercises  and  general  re- 
laxation. 

Many  courtesies  are  extended  their  employees,  as  is  evi- 
denced in  such  small  details  as  furnishing  individual  towels 
and  lockers  and  individual  drinking  glasses.  Should  a  storm 
occur  after  the  clerks  have  left  their  homes  they  are  loaned 
umbrellas  when  they  leave  the  office.  These  little  considerations 
are  appreciated. 

Providing  Good  Food 

One  of  the  first  things  to  be  done  under  the  heading  of 
welfare  work  is  to  enable  employees  to  secure  wholesome  food 
on  the  premises  at  reasonable  prices.  Much  time  is  saved 
thereby;  cold  lunches  are  avoided  and  no  one  need  deprive 
himself  or  herself  of  midday  nourishment  in  an  eflfort  to 
economize.  Restaurant  equipment  is  a  part  of  modern  busi- 
ness structural  plans.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  find  arrange- 
ments provided  for  feeding  as  high  as  three  to  five  thousand 
people  within  a  short  time. 

The  personnel  director  in  a  large  store  states  that  the 
restaurant  of  the  establishment  serves  good  quality  food  at 
the  low  cost  of  18  cents  an  individual  meal,  averaged  over 
a  month;  that  99  per  cent  of  the  employees  avail  themselves 
of  the  luncheon  facilities;  and  that  the  company  feels  the 
project  is  beneficial  and  profitable  in  promoting  the  health 


SERVICE  WORK   IN   THE   BUSINESS   HOUSE  3^9 

of  the  employees,  to  say  nothing  of  the  social  benefits  springing 
from  noon-hour  acquaintances  formed,  and  ideas  exchanged. 

The  Example  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company 

The  commissary  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany is  one  of  its  largest  departments.  Serving  luncheon  to 
employees  free  of  charge  is  rather  exceptional,  but  it  is  con- 
sidered good  policy  by  that  organization.  Following  is  the 
statement  of  the  personnel  director: 

The  company  began  in  1908  to  serve  a  complete  noonday 
luncheon  to  all  employees  in  the  home  office.  The  purpose 
of  this  was  to  maintain  the  working  efficiency  of  employees 
during  the  afternoon  hours.  It  was  found  that  a  number 
of  clerks  did  not  make  adequate  provision  in  their  in- 
dividual budgets  for  a  proper  luncheon.  Moreover,  many 
employees  who  have  limited  earnings,  or  who  may  be  re- 
quired to  economize,  are  apt  to  effect  this  saving  on  their 
mid-day  meal.  Although  served  without  cost  to  their  em- 
ployees, this  luncheon  is  not  considered  a  gratuity,  but  rather 
as  a  supplement  to  wages,  which  are  already  as  high,  if  no 
higher,  than  in  similar  lines  of  work.  The  meal  is  whole- 
some, as  can  be  seen  from  the  following  typical  menu: 

Beef  broth  with  vegetables 

Roast  loin  of  pork 

Mashed  potatoes  Mashed  turnips 

Ginger  bread  or  peach  ice  cream 

Bread  and  butter 

Tea  Coffee  Milk 

Rice  and  milk,  or  crackers  and  milk,  are  served  to  those 
not  on  a  meat  diet.  The  cost  of  the  meal  to  the  company 
is  a  little  over  22  cents  each  day  for  each  clerk,  this  amount 
including  the  cost  of  food  and  service,  but  not  the  rental 
value  of  the  space  occupied  by  the  dining-rooms.  Many 
firms  have  placed  lunchrooms  at  the  disposal  of  their  em- 
ployees or  are  furnishing  a  part  of  the  meal.  The  experi- 
ment of  the  company  consists  in  furnishing  a  full  luncheon 


370  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

to  all  employees  without  cost,  in  the  belief  that  increased 
efficiency  more  than  warrants  the  outlay  of  the  company. 

Clubs  and  Associations 

Employees  in  the  average  concern  have  so  much  in  common 
while  at  work  that  the  further  cementing  of  interests  through 
association  outside  working  hours,  is  distinctly  advantageous 
to  the  organization.  Societies  and  clubs  may  be  formed  for 
the  promotion  of  social  intercourse,  education,  and  cordial 
relationship  among  employees. 

The  City  Bank  Club,  outlined  below,  is  an  excellent  ex- 
ample of  such  an  organization : 

Object 

The  purposes  of  the  City  Bank  Club  are,  as  expressed 
in  its  constitution,  "the  advancement  of  its  members  along 
educational  lines,  the  mutual  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the 
social  intercourse  of  the  clerks,  and  the  promotion  of  the 
spirit  of  cordiality  and  fraternity  among  employees  who  are 
associated  in  business  each  day." 

History 

When  the  subject  of  the  establishment  of  a  club  of  the 
employees  of  the  National  City  Bank  was  broached  to  the 
official  staif,  it  met  with  immediate  and  unqualified  approval ; 
nothing  more  strongly  evidences  this  fact  than  the  action 
of  the  late  Mr.  James  Stillman,  then  president  of  the  bank, 
in  donating  personally,  at  the  first  meeting  on  September  21, 
1904,  $1,000,  to  be  used  in  any  way  considered  most  desirable. 
The  wise  policy  was  adopted  of  setting  aside  this  gift  as  a 
foundation,  using  only  the  income  for  the  furtherance  of 
the  club's  purposes. 

On  Christmas  Eve,  1908,  two  days  after  the  bank  had 
moved  into  its  present  building,  Vice-President  Kilborn  read 
to  the  Executive  Committee  a  letter  from  Mr.  James  Still- 
man  enclosing  a  check  for  $10,000  as  a  Christmas  gift  for 
the  club.     But  the  red-letter  day  in  the  history  of  the  club 


SERVICE  WORK   IN   THE   BUSINESS   HOUSE  371 

is  June  i8,  1912.  The  bank  was  then  celebrating  its  cen- 
tennial. At  its  annual  outing  several  days  previous,  the 
club  had  cabled  its  congratulations  to  Mr.  Stillman  in  Paris. 
In  replying  he  presented  the  club  with  a  magnificent  gift  of 
$100,000,  $1,000  for  each  year  of  the  bank's  existence.  Then 
through  Mr.  Stillman's  recommendation,  the  Board  of 
Directors  supplemented  his  gift  with  one  of  like  amount. 

Generously  endowed  in  this  manner,  the  recent  progress 
and  development  of  the  club  can  perhaps  best  be  told  by 
descriptions  of  the  various  activities. 

Activities 

Educational.  In  November,  1904,  the  first  Educational 
Committee  was  appointed,  whose  primary  purpose  was  the 
organization  of  a  definite  program.  Under  its  guidance 
the  educational  work  was  commenced  in  a  systematic  way, 
and  has  been  developing  rapidly  along  the  most  progressive 
lines. 

It  has  always  been  the  aim  of  the  Educational  Committee 
to  plan  courses  of  a  practical  nature.  The  laboratory  method 
of  instruction  by  personal  observation  and  by  work  in  the 
various  departments,  supplemented  by  lectures  by  the  officers 
and  department  heads,  has  been  found  to  be  invaluable. 
Classes  in  banking,  foreign  exchange,  credit,  and  the 
languages,  such  as  French,  Spanish,  Italian,  Russian,  and 
Portuguese,  are  given.  By  co-operating  with  the  best  educa- 
tional institutions  of  the  country,  the  work  has  been  greatly 
stimulated.  The  educational  work  has  grown  by  leaps  and 
bounds  until  today  the  club  occupies  an  unique  position  as  an 
educational  institution. 

The  educational  work  of  the  club  may  be  roughly  divided 
into  the  following  three  groups: 

1.  The  conducting  of  formal  classes. 

2.  The  bringing  of  timely  articles  and  publications  to 

the  attention  of  the  employees. 

3.  The  acquainting  of  employees  with  educational  oppor- 

tunities in  New  York  City. 
In  advising  about  outside  courses,  the  club  is  acting  as 
a  sort  of  clearing  house   for  educational  matter.     All  the 


372  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

catalogues  and  correspondence  of  the  various  educational 
institutions  in  Greater  New  York  are  kept  on  file  and  have 
proved  to  be  of  great  assistance  to  the  inquirer.  In  addition 
to  this,  the  club  is  supplying  an  important  service  in  having 
the  lectures  of  the  officers  and  instructors  printed  and  dis- 
tributed among  the  employees.  From  such  a  comprehensive 
program,  it  seems  that  every  member  of  the  club  must  receive 
some  lasting  benefit. 

Number  Eight.  One  of  the  big  things  done  by  the 
Executive  Committee  was  the  establishment  of  Number 
Eight,  a  monthly  magazine  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the 
club.  The  magazine  has  been  the  means  of  weaving  the 
bond  of  fellowship  between  all  those  connected  with  the 
bank,  the  National  City  Company,  and  the  International 
Banking  Corporation.  Through  it,  each  member  is  kept  in 
touch  with  his  fellow-workers,  with  any  changes  which  may 
take  place  either  at  the  home  office  or  at  the  branches,  is 
introduced  to  the  new  officers,  and  is  kept  informed  on  all 
activities  of  the  club  and  the  bank.  The  magazine  has  grown 
to  such  an  extent  that  it  has  become  necessary  to  have  an 
editor  who  can  devote  all  of  his  time  to  the  work. 

Social  and  Athletic.  No  outline  of  the  club's  activities 
would  be  complete  without  some  reference  to  the  social  and 
athletic  affairs,  in  which  all  members  are  free  to  participate. 

The  monthly  entertainments,  which  are  held  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  club's  business  meetings  on  the  second  Wednes- 
day of  each  month,  have  grown  so  large  that  it  is  necessary 
to  have  three  or  four  varieties  of  entertainment,  such  as 
motion  pictures,  various  contests,  dancing,  and  lectures,  going 
on  simultaneously  in  different  parts  of  the  bank.  In  this 
way,  each  member  of  the  club  has  the  opportunity  to  choose 
the  form  of  entertainment  he  prefers. 

Among  the  various  other  activities  enjoyed  by  the  club, 
brief  mention  may  be  made  of  theater  parties,  a  trip  up 
the  Hudson,  a  day  at  Asbury  Park,  the  annual  minstrel  show 
by  the  members  of  the  club,  and  the  big  annual  outing. 

The  Investment  Fund.  The  Investment  Fund  is  another 
beneficial  privilege  extended  to  the  members  of  the  club. 

Application  for  the  opening  of  an  account  is  made  to  a 
member  of  the  Deposit  Committee,  who  gives  in  return  a 


SERVICE  WORK   IN  THE   BUSINESS   HOUSE  373 

pass-book,  in  which  is  kept  a  record  of  money  deposited. 
Deposits  may  be  made  to  the  extent  of  $5,000  provided  not 
more  than  $500  is  deposited  in  any  twelve  consecutive 
months. 

The  interest  on  deposits,  which  is  based  on  the  earnings 
of  the  money  deposited,  is  credited  on  the  first  day  of  April 
and  October  of  each  year  and  has  been  at  the  rate  of 
4  per  cent  semiannually.  Depositors  draw  interest  from  the 
first  day  of  the  month  succeeding  the  day  of  deposit. 

Withdrawals  require  30  days'  notice,  except  in  such  cases 
as  may  have  the  approval  of  the  Deposit  Committee.^ 

Recreation  and  Athletics 

Recreational  and  athletic  activities  are  particularly  de- 
sirable, especially  in  the  office  and  bank,  whose  employees  are 
nearly  all  engaged  in  sedentary  occupations.  An  athletic  asso- 
ciation may  be  formed  among  employees.  Within  this  may 
be  organized  tennis  and  baseball  teams,  football,  basket-ball, 
and  handball  teams.  Interdepartmental  and  intracity  games 
excite  lively  interest,  while  track  athletics  and  golf  tourna- 
ments invite  the  participation  of  large  numbers.  Gymnasium 
classes  may  be  formed  for  both  men  and  women.  Swimming, 
calisthenics,  and  setting-up  exercises  of  all  sorts  may  be  given 
along  with  short  talks  in  physiology  and  anatomy.  All  efforts 
along  this  line  should  be  directed  towards  stimulating  interest 
in  physical  improvement.  When  field  space  is  unavailable 
the  roof  of  the  firm's  building  may  be  utilized  for  outdoor 
games  during  the  summer  months. 

The  physical  or  recreational  director,  if  one  is  furnished, 
may  assist  individuals  to  correct  wrong  posture  and  slight 
spinal  curvatures.  Shower  baths  and  lockers  are  conveniences 
that  employees  appreciate;  individual  lockers,  indeed,  are  al- 
most a  necessity.  Summer  camps,  where  workers  may  spend 
their  vacations  at  moderate  cost,  may  be  provided  through 
the  association  or  clubs. 


2  For  a  fuller  discussion  see  Appendix  H. 


374  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Social  Activities 

Under  the  head  of  social  activities,  excursions,  shows, 
smokers,  dances,  picnics,  and  banquets,  organized  by  employees 
through  their  clubs  and  associations,  enliven  the  interest  and 
foster  the  making  of  acquaintances  and  friendships.  At  these 
functions  it  is  usual  to  permit  the  bringing  in  of  outsiders  as 
guests  through  whom  the  concern  may  expect  the  spread  of 
good- will  toward  their  organization.  Dancing  in  the  assembly 
hall  at  the  noon  recess  is  enjoyable,  music  being  provided  by 
a  Victrola  if  nothing  better  is  at  hand.  Glee  clubs,  orchestras, 
and  bands  are  other  common  forms  of  welfare  activity,  the 
employee  frequently  developing  very  talented  ensembles. 

Rest  and  recreation  rooms  may  be  provided,  with  general 
and  circulating  libraries  in  connection. 

Co-operative  Store 

The  co-operative  store  idea  is  an  aid  in  augmenting  the 
purchasing  power  of  salaries.  The  company  usually  con- 
tributes the  space  and  may  loan  the  initial  funds,  if  necessary, 
in  order  to  get  the  venture  started,  employees  themselves  con- 
ducting the  store  on  a  cost  plus  expense  basis.  (See  Ap- 
pendix D.) 

Meetings 

Group  and  departmental  meetings,  having  for  their  pur- 
pose the  encouragement  of  free  expression  among  employees, 
often  result  in  bringing  about  the  better  understanding  of 
work  problems.  Employees  will  talk  more  freely  when  sus- 
tained by  the  presence  of  fellow- workers.  Grievances  and 
complaints  when  gone  over  in  general  discussions  with  super- 
visors at  such  gatherings  may  be  thrashed  out  and  wrong 
impressions  corrected.  When  officers  bring  groups  together 
in  a  confidential  session  and  invite  opinions  from  those  who 
feel   competent  to   criticize   or   suggest,   decisions   are   more 


SERVICE  WORK   IN   THE   BUSINESS   HOUSE  375 

often  than  not  influenced  in  the  right  direction,  especially  on 
policies  directly  concerning  the  people  invited.  Loyalty  to 
the  firm  receives  stimulus  at  these  meetings  of  employees  and 
supervisors,  since  both  sides  of  a  question  are  aired  frankly. 

The  Benefit  of  Meetings 

During  a  severe  shortage  of  help,  for  instance,  the  women 
elevator  operators  in  a  big  store  were  approached  by  a  stranger, 
who,  when  he  stepped  into  the  elevator,  pressed  a  slip  of 
paper  into  the  hand  of  each  girl,  the  note  stating  that  a  job 
with  higher  wages  awaited  her  in  a  downtown  office  building. 
This  act  of  polite  piracy  was  immediately  exposed  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  maintenance  force  which  was  scheduled  for  that 
evening.  After  going  over  the  matter  with  the  superintendent, 
who  outlined  the  firm's  policy  as  regards  wages  and  conditions 
of  work,  the  elevator  operators  unanimously  decided  to  remain 
where  they  were. 

At  one  of  these  meetings  in  a  Baltimore  department  store, 
the  question  of  a  suitable  working  dress  was  raised  by  the 
manager  in  furtherance  of  neatness  and  uniformity  of  ap- 
pearance. The  proposal  was  advanced  that  the  girls  should 
adopt  black  as  the  color  for  store  dresses.  Discussion  brought 
out  a  preference  for  blue,  the  objectors  to  black  arguing  against 
it  for  one  reason  or  another.  A  decision  as  to  the  shade 
of  blue  most  desirable  having  been  reached,  the  manager 
acquiesced,  and  found  later  that  the  opinion  of  the  employees 
was  upheld  in  the  advantages  that  blue  was  shown  to  have 
over  the  more  somber  color.  This  was  undoubtedly  better 
than  forcing  the  issue  with  a  curt  order  to  adopt  the  first- 
considered  change. 

Sanatariums 

Sanatariums  for  the  cure  of  illness  developed  by  worthy 
employees  in  the  service  have  been  provided  by  some  large 


Z"]^  THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 

concerns.  The  Mount  McGregor  Tuberculosis  Sanatarium 
of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company  furnishes  an 
illustration  of  such  a  health  service.  (See  Chapter 
XXVIII.) 

Thrift  and  Savings 

Vacation  and  Christmas  saving  funds  are  distinct  aids  to 
saving.  Savings  funds  in  behalf  of  employees  encourage 
thrift  and  provident  habits.  They  are  largely  patronized 
wherever  made  available. 

The  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company,  for  instance,  has 
what  is  known  as  the  Equitable  Credit  Union.  Employees 
are  privileged  to  deposit  a  part  of  their  surplus  earnings  in 
the  union,  to  be  converted  into  investment  securities  of  the 
highest  order.  When  circumstances  make  it  necessary,  em- 
ployees are  permitted  to  borrow  money  through  this  union  at 
a  nominal  rate  of  interest. 

An  Excellent  Savings  System 

The  Staff  Savings  Fund  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  In- 
surance Company  is  outlined  below: 

To  provide  a  system  by  which  the  employee  and  his 
family  may  be  protected  against  the  consequences  of  in- 
validity, old  age,  and  death,  the  company,  since  1900,  has 
maintained  a  Staff  Savings  Fund.  This  is  open  to  all  em- 
ployees whose  annual  earnings  do  not  exceed  $3,000. 
Deposits  in  any  year  must  not  exceed  5  per  cent  of  the 
earnings.  The  funds  thus  obtained  are  invested  by  the 
officers  so  as  to  bring  the  largest  return  consistent  with 
safety.  To  encourage  employees  to  contribute  to  the  fund, 
the  company  subscribes  an  amount  equal  to  50  per  cent  of 
the  employee's  deposit.  Depositors  may  withdraw  from  the 
fund  at  any  time  and  for  any  cause.  Unless  the  withdrawal 
be  after  twenty  years'  service,  or  is  caused  by  death  or 
incapacity,  the  employee  may  take  out  only  his  own  deposits. 


SERVICE  WORK  IN   THE   BUSINESS  HOUSE  377 

plus  interest  accumulations.  After  five  years  the  company's 
subscriptions  are  not  withdrawn,  but  are  left  in  the  fund 
for  the  benefit  of  the  persistent  depositors.  If  an  account  is 
opened  for  one  year  and  less  than  five,  there  is  a  sliding 
scale  of  credits  to  other  depositors  on  account  of  forfeitures, 
starting  with  50  per  cent  during  the  second  year  and  increas- 
ing to  80  per  cent  in  the  fourth.  On  the  other  hand,  where 
an  account  terminates  because  of  death,  old  age,  or  inca- 
pacity, the  beneficiary  is  entitled  to  the  total  deposits  together 
with  the  company's  subscriptions  and  interest.  In  this  way, 
modest  deposits  by  employees  grow  in  the  course  of  a  number 
of  years  into  very  considerable  sums,  as  is  indicated  by  the 
following  typical  illustrations: 

A  home  office  clerk,  whose  total  deposits  amount  to 
$1,565,  has  to  the  credit  of  his  account  in  the  fund,  $4,042. 

A  superintendent  has  deposited  $1,192;  his  credit  balance 
amoimts  to  $3,540. 

A  home  office  clerk,  whose  account  was  closed  after 
twenty-six  years  of  continuous  service,  deposited  between 
March,  1900,  and  April,  1913,  $445.  She  received  $1,183.33, 
or  a  gain  of  $738.33  in  thirteen  years. 

A  home  office  clerk,  whose  account  was  closed  by  death, 
deposited  between  January,  1903,  and  August,  1914,  $790. 
His  widow  received  $1,654.74,  representing  a  gain  of  $864.74, 
in  the  period  of  eleven  and  a  half  years. 

In  some  business  establishments,  branches  of  local  banks 
are  operated  for  the  convenience  of  the  workers.  In  the 
large  banks  a  special  section  is  given  over  to  the  accounts  of 
their  own  employees. 

Insurance  and  Pensions 

Insurance  and  pensions  for  employees  serve  to  allay  worry- 
about  provisions  for  old  age,  disability,  or  death.  Many  types 
of  group  insurance  are  offered;  numerous  pension  plans  are 
in  use.  Mutual  aid  associations,  under  the  management  of 
employees  and  the  patronage  of  employers,  function  to  render 
service  in  case  of  illness,  disability,  or  death. 


Z7^  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Group  life  insurance  is  a  form  of  life  insurance  which 
protects  not  less  than  fifty  employees.  It  is  written  under 
a  policy  issued  to  the  employer.  The  employer  receives  a 
blanket  policy,  covering  the  employees  insured  for  amounts 
arranged  by  the  eniployer  ranging  from  $500  to  $3,000. 
Liberal  provisions  are  made  in  the  group  life  policies  for 
total  and  permanent  disability  benefits,  and  for  various  modes 
of  settlement  in  the  event  of  death.  Policies  are  participating, 
and  any  divisible  surplus  accruing  is  annually  ascertained  and 
apportioned  and  either  paid  in  cash  to  the  holder  or  applied 
to  the  payment  of  premiums. 

The  employee  receives  an  attractive  certificate  showing 
the  amount  of  his  or  her  insurance  and  the  name  of  the  bene- 
ficiary. This  certificate  is  constructed  to  provide  for  a 
photograph  of  the  establishment  or  of  the  founder  or  executive 
head  of  the  concern,  or  perhaps  the  reproduction  of  a  trade- 
mark. Provision  is  also  made  for  the  inclusion  of  a  letter 
over  the  signature  of  the  employer,  outlining  the  gift  and  its 
importance  to  the  person  insured  and  to  his  family.  This 
letter  gives  the  employer  an  opportunity  to  express  in  the 
most  suitable  manner  his  appreciation  of  the  loyalty  and  faith- 
fulness of  the  employee. 

In  a  large  department  store,  where  they  have  a  mutual 
aid  association  of  this  kind,  all  matters  of  information  con- 
cerning the  society  are  posted  regularly  so  that  every  employee 
may  know  at  all  times  the  exact  state  of  affairs  of  the  associa- 
tion. The  dues  never  exceed  10  cents  a  week  and  each  person, 
after  being  in  the  company's  service  three  months,  is  given 
an  insurance  policy  of  $500,  which  is  increased  $100  a  year 
until  it  reaches  a  total  of  $3,000. 

Sick  benefits,  legal  aid,  and  medical  attention  accrue  to 
the  employee  through  his  membership  in  the  association.  All 
rights,  claims,  or  interest  in  the  benefits  cease  upon  termination 
of  service. 


SERVICE  WORK  IN  THE  BUSINll^S  HOUSE  379 

A  Company  Policy  ]     ^ 

A  certain  insurance  company  issues  a  policy  covering  dis- 
ability to  its  employees  which  provides  for  the  payment  of 
two-thirds  salary  during  the  first  twenty-six  weeks  of  illness, 
beginning  with  the  eighth  day  of  sickness.  From  the  be- 
ginning of  the  twenty-seventh  week  of  sickness  to  the  expira- 
tion of  the  fifth  year  of  sickness,  one-half  of  the  original 
benefit  is  paid.  After  this  time,  until  the  employee  reaches 
the  age  of  65,  one-quarter  of  the  original  benefit  is  paid  to 
him. 

This  same  company  also  provides  for  disabled  employees 
who  have  been  a  long  time  in  its  service.  The  following  rule 
covers  it:  "Any  home  office  clerical  employee  insured  under 
the  group  health  policy,  having  passed  the  age  of  65,  whether 
incapacitated  or  not,  may,  if  he  desires,  be  referred  on  the 
recommendation  of  the  section  head  to  the  executive  to  be 
retired  at  one-third  salary.  This  practically  insures  every  dis- 
abled or  superannuated  employee  the  equivalent  of  one-third 
salary  for  life." 

Bonuses 

Monetary  supplements  in  the  nature  of  bonuses  are  com- 
mon in  business  as  well  as  industrial  organizations.  One  com- 
pany, for  example,  gives  all  employees  who  were  in  the  service 
at  the  beginning  of  the  calendar  year  two  weeks*  vacation  with 
full  pay.  If  the  employee  comes  into  service  after  January  i, 
and  before  March  i,  one  week  is  allowed;  additional  vacations 
are  given  with  increasing  length  of  service  according  to  the 
following  table: 

After     5  years  of  service i  day 

After  10  years  of  service 3  days 

After  15  years  of  service i  week 

After  20  years  of  service 2  weeks 


3^0  THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 

Profit-Sharing 

Profit-sharing  plans  in  business  organizations  are  usually 
based  upon  a  sliding  scale  to  coincide  with  the  company's 
profits.  Seniority  bonuses  are  given  as  Christmas  gifts  in 
some  concerns.  One  plan  is  to  give  lo  per  cent  of  the  current 
year's  salary  upon  the  completion  of  ten  years  service  or  more ; 
for  five  years  and  up  to  ten  years,  5  per  cent  of  the  current 
salary;  less  than  five  years,  $75  to  $100  flat  amount.  Bonuses 
and  rewards  for  valuable  suggestions  and  for  completion  of 
educational  work  and  for  length  of  service  as  mentioned  in  a 
previous  chapter,  are  also  allowed  in  business  establishments. 

Bonuses  on  Advertisements  and  High  Cost  of  Living 

Since  the  permanent  success  of  department  stores  depends 
largely  upon  the  truth  and  correctness  of  their  advertisements, 
some  of  these  concerns  pay  a  reward  of  $1  to  the  employee 
who  calls  attention  to  grammatical  errors,  misrepresentations, 
or  typographical  mistakes  found  in  the  firm's  advertisements. 
The  attention  of  each  employee  is  thus  directed  to  the  current 
activity  of  each  department  and  he  or  she  is  impressed  with 
the  company's  policy  of  fair  dealing  with  the  public. 

The  high  cost  of  living  has  become  a  serious  problem  to 
salaried  workers,  and  as  a  consequence  special  bonuses  have 
come  into  vogue  for  supplementing  the  wages  paid.  This 
payment,  known  as  a  "high  cost  of  living  bonus,"  is  meant  to 
be  an  addition  to  wages  until  permanent  adjustments  can  be 
effected  between  income  and  outgo.  Many  business  houses 
and  banks  are  paying  high  cost  of  living  bonuses  of  from 
10  to  25  per  cent  of  wages  and  as  a  basis  for  computation 
have  classified  the  salaries,  grading  the  bonus  so  that  the  lower 
paid  receive  more  in  proportion.  These  bonuses  are  usually 
included  in  the  pay  envelope,  and  are  considered  apart  from 
wages  or  profit-sharing  plans,  or  any  other  bonus. 


SERVICE  WORK  IN  THE   BUSINESS  HOUSE  3^1 

Education 

In  the  training  departments  of  business  houses  nothing  is 
left  undone  to  awaken  the  interest  of  employees  in  the  educa- 
tional opportunities  offered.  The  alert  and  inquisitive  minds 
in  the  organization  are  brought  to  the  fore  through  educational 
supervision,  and  all  employees  are  spurred  on  by  the  promise 
of  greater  scope  for  service  that  results  from  educational 
advantages. 

An  early  writer  has  said: 

I  consider  a  human  soul  without  education  like  marble 
in  a  quarry  which  shows  none  of  its  inherent  beauties  until 
the  skill  of  the  polisher  fetches  out  the  colors,  makes  the 
surface  shine  and  discovers  every  ornamental  cloud  spot  and 
vein  that  runs  through  the  body  of  it.  Education,  after  the 
same  manner,  when  it  works  upon  a  noble  mind,  draws  out 
to  view  every  talent,  virtue,  and  perfection  which  without 
such  help  are  never  able  to  make  their  appearance. 

Concerns  desiring  to  build  future  leaders  from  present 
employees  find  that  education  is  a  powerful  tool  with  which 
to  do  the  building.  It  is  not  easy  to  lay  out  a  program  of 
study  that  will  fit  the  complexity  of  human  types  found  in 
organizations  employing  thousands  of  workers,  or  to  meet  the 
needs  of  varied  businesses.  The  nature  of  the  studies  to  be 
taken  up  and  the  kind  of  training  desired  depend  wholly  on 
the  organization  itself. 

Educational  programs  are,  however,  of  equal  importance 
with  business  programs,  and  the  success  of  the  latter  is  de- 
pendent on  the  thoroughness  with  which  the  former  is  carried 
out  • 

Training  and  the  Employment  Manager       ^ 

It  is  the  work  of  the  employment  manager  or  personnel 
director,  in  business  as  in  industry,  to  supervise  the  training 
of  employees.    He  must  study  the  need  of  the  particular  firm 


382 


THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 


SERVICE  WORK   IN  THE   BUSINESS  HOUSE  S^S 

and  business  and  lay  out  his  detail  program  in  harmony 
with  their  requirements.  Figure  91,  illustrates  the  extensive- 
ness  of  the  educational  work  of  a  New  York  department  store. 
Appendices  H,  I,  J,  respectively,  present  in  detail  the  educa- 
tional plans  of  a  representative  bank,  a  representative  depart- 
ment store,  and  a  representative  business  firm,  which  are  of 
suggestive  value. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE   MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT 

Benefits  of  Medical  Department 

Among  the  benefits  which  accrue  to  a  plant  through  the 
installation  of  a  medical  department  are  th$^e : 

1.  The  thorough  investigation  of  the  physical  ability  of 
an  applicant  to  meet  adverse  conditions  of  a  job  is  an  obvious 
advantage  to  both  the  employer  and  the  employee. 

2.  A  professional  medical  department 'can  iiot  only  advise 
on  physical  ailments  or  direct  a"  person  to  his  own  medical 
adviser,  but  can  prescribe. 

3.  It  can  also  reduce  the  amount  of  tardiness  and  absence 
by  discovering  and  correcting  such  minor  defects  or  ailments 
as  defective  teeth,  headaches,  varicose  veins,  neuralgia,  etc. 

4.  Not  only  are  accidents  owing  to  defective  hearing  and 
vision  reduced,  but  claims  for  avoidable  injuries  arising  out 
of  previous  accidents  can  be  more  easily  met  and  disposed  of. 

Persons  who  fear  that  the  examinations  and  work  of  a 
medical  department  may  become  so  stringent  as  to  be  a  menace 
to  industrial  freedom  and  a  bar  to  the  undoubted  right  of 
every  man  to  earn  his  living  for  himself  and  family,  should 
know  that  the  usual  number  of  rejections  as  a  result  of  the 
medical  examination  is  estimated  to  be  only  3  to  5  per  cent. 

When  employees  get  the  false  impression  that  the  medical 
department's  sole  function  is  to  reject  applicants  who  are  not 
physically  perfect,  they  look  upon  the  idea  as  being  a  one- 
sided affair,  benefiting  the  employer  only.  This  critical  atti- 
tude on  the  part  of  workers  has  had  much  foundation  in  fact, 
springing  from  experience  with  firms  that  were  unfortunate 

384 


THE   MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT  385 

in  the  choice  of  doctors  or  that  employed  the  services  of  a 
doctor  only  to  conduct  the  pre-employment  examination,  his 
office  and  interests  being  quite  removed  from  the  shop. 

The  fully  equipped  and  integral  medical  service  afforded 
in  the  modem  industrial  plant,  however,  gives  cause  for  noth- 
ing but  sincere  respect  and  attraction  on  behalf  of  the  workers. 
Its  primary  purpose,  far  from  being  to  reject  applicants,  is 
to  obtain  healthy,  vigorous  workers  and  to  keep  them  healthy 
and  vigorous  throughout  their  lives.  The  employee  is  given 
the  benefit  of  free  expert  medical  service.  The  more  intimately 
the  doctors  and  attendants  know  the  jobs  in  the  factory,  the 
greater  will  be  the  influence  of  the  medical  department. 

Functions 

The  medical  examination  proves  itself  a  great  economy 
to  a  plant  by  eliminating  the  really  unfit  at  an  early  stage. 
It  benefits  the  workman  by  enabling  the  employment  depart- 
ment to  place  him  where  he  will  be  able  to  do  the  best  work. 
Moreover,  the  work  of  the  medical  department  embraces  a 
field  far  wider  than  that  of  examining  applicants  for  employ- 
ment. In  fact,  the  function  of  a  well-developed  medical  staff 
in  a  large  plant  is  threefold: 

1.  To  examine  applicants  for  employment. 

2.  To  care  for  injured  employees. 

3.  To  care  for  the  general  health  of  employees  through 

various  prophylactic  measures. 

In  carrying  out  the  third  function,  the  medical  department 
should  work  in  close  alliance  with  the  safety  department,  which 
cares  for  the  prevention  of  accidents,  etc. 

The  Pre-employment  Examination 

The  purposes  of  the  pre-employment  examination  have 
already  been  discussed.     Such  an  investigation  of  physical 


386 


THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 


MEDICAL   EXAMINER'S    CERTIFICATE  -  fEMALC 


Name , ., ^ . ^ 

QUESTIONS    answered    BY   APPLICANT   IN   CONNECTION   WITH    ANNEXED   APPLICATION 


1.  H»e  yon  coniullcd  i  phyticUn  within  the  lut  year  7- 

2.  Pfaytician't   Nmx? 

3.  Are  yoa  nibject  to  fit>?- 


4.    Have  yoa  had  articular  rheumatiim?. 


,  5.    Have  yoa  been  vaccinated?- 


6.    Have  yoa  had  any  iltneu  or  any  injury  durinf   the  past  6ve  years;  if  lo,  what?. 


7.  Have  you  any  other  disease  or  physical  infirmity? 

8.  Is  there  any  disease  you  are  likely  to  have  inherited?- 

9.  Have  yoa  ever  had  menstrual  difficulties?  , 

Be   specific  ■         


10.  General  development L-  U.  Hei| 

12.  Weight 13.  Hair 14.  Comp 

IS.  Eyes. 


16.  Ace- 


i7.  Heart:  la.  Nnmber  and  Character  of  pulse  beau 
\6.  Where  apex 


IS.  LuDft; 


Nnmber  and  character  of  respiration 


'  c.  Auscultation. 
1$.  Kidneys  and  bladder 


20.  Cachexic,  Diatheses,  Temperate,  &e- 

21.  Opinion  as  to  applicant's  statement  after  < 


25.  If  applicant  rejected,  for  what  cause. 


* 

4 

* 

1^ 

Jl} 

21.- 

»   , 

.    ,.    ,        21    ■                     .     ,    _ 

" 

Figure  92.     (a)  Medical  Examiner's  Certificate  Used  by  the  National  City- 
Bank  of  New  York.     (Size  8.^  x  11.) 


THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT 


387 


Americaoi  Smelting  &  Refining  Co* 


Date     Department   

Name Aye Ko. 

Addreaa    : 

Height In.    Weight Jba.    Natlty 

Girt  of  chest  (at  ntpplea):  At  expiration Inchea 

At  inspiration Inchea 

General  examination  (head,  chest,  abdomen,  axtremitlea)  


Nose  and  throRt                                         ■         . .                                             .                . 

Heart 

Hernia   , 

].-; vea   ; - - 

Vision         Right                      ... 

T.«/t 

•■ 

Eara 

Hearing—  Bight Left, 

Right 
Teeth   Missing— Upper     STCS4321 
Lower    S7CS4S21 


Left 
8     7    «    5     4     3  _j:   i 
«-7'CS43Zl 


Remarks 


ng  Physician. 


Figure  92.     (b)  Medical  Examiner's  Certificate,  Used  by 
American  Smelting  and  Refining  Company.     (Size  5  x  8.) 


388  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 


THE  UNITED  RAILWAYS  AND  ELECTRIC  COMPANY 
OP  BALTIMORE 

PHYSiaAfTS  CERTIHCATE 


ni«No ~. Drte 

FnllNsiM AMnm 

Ag* H«i(bt Waicbt .Bi»miii«<l  for  Porttloo  m. 

ButtMWtightincTMMdT or  diminiihad WtajT 

FAMILY  HISTORY 

Pathtr ....*» Shtan 


An7  tabarenlotU  in  tha  f unilr  ? 

An7  other  borwUUry  diMaM  aa  heart  diaaaaa,  kidney  diaeaaa,  inaanity  or  rfaaomatiani 


PERSONAL  HISTORY 

^ave  yea  aver  bean  eoaOnad  la  an  iartitatiM  laftaj  kind  T. 


Have  TOO  any  eoofh.  apittiBC  of  Mood  or  have  yon  baao  aeriaoaly  iU  T . 


Kao.  when. 

OoyoaaaaaleohoUediUuT to  wfaateztoBtT.... 

OoyoaoaatobaeeoT , towhat«tta«tT. 

Ha¥0  yoo  boa>  yatrinatad  T ...wkas... 

BaTo  yoa  had  any  eftbe  MIowiBg  diaaaaea : 


Are  yoa  DOW  Id  goad  health  T 

ArayaoaowiaealTtoK medical  traatmaatT. 


Figure  92.     (c)  Physician's  Certificate,  Used  by  United  Railways  and 


THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT  389 


PHYSICAL  CXAmNATION 


B«fl«xM.  Kbm PopiUmiy B«abarc'i 

iDfoin*!  easak.  Rifht 


OUwr  bra  af  Hante .., 

VaitesMh BydrOMi* VuieoM  Vaiin. 

r—t , > 

URINALYSIS 

Color SvwGr ilbwaia.. •««• 

EAR  AND  EYE  EXAMINATION 


[WtMv fT« 

(uft«f» ..•  [iM 


Aay  dofoet  ia  right  or  kMriB(. 


wteWMUpMi 


Electric  Company  of  Baltimore  (face  and  reverse).     (Size  8%x  lo]^. 


390 


THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 


sl 


5  5 


iJ 

11 


il 


II 


S 

II 


ii 

7^   X 


'      !  i 


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\  '51  .  :: 

, ^    ■!  ■    .  ' . 

II  '.  ■;;: 

'    '  'i   ;  i '  ■ 

I  «  :    , 

>   s 

.    =  .  Hill 

}{     >        •    ■       2  <?,  b:  s  j 

•  :    1     I      I    , 


<  H    O 


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sJlii  s 


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I'll 


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■  ■! : 

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5- 


■S.2 


'1 1 

Ih 

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W 

Vi 

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bO 

fi< 

THE   MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT  391 

qualifications  protects  the  worker  from  placement  on  a  job 
that  would  overtax  his  strength  or  limit  his  usefulness;  a 
man  suffering  from  fallen  arches  would  hardly  be  put  on  a 
standing  job,  nor  a  person  with  hernia  on  a  job  that  required 
lifting  or  abdominal  strain.  Those  who  are  physically  fit  are 
placed  to  better  purpose,  that  is,  there  arises  no  obstacles  to 
changing  them  around  on  varied  work  of  any  type  that  they 
can  do. 

The  questions  asked  and  the  defects  to  be  noted  will,  of 
course,  vary  with  the  plant  and  the  type  of  work  to  be  done. 

A  study  of  the  preceding  sample  forms  will  indicate  better 
than  any  abstract  discussion,  the  type  of  examination  which 
is  proving  successful  in  diversified  kinds  of  work.  Figure 
92a  is  used  by  the  National  City  Bank  of  New  York,  Figure 
92b  by  the  American  Smelting  and  Refining  Company,  and 
Figure  92c  by  the  United  Railways  and  Electric  Company 
of  Baltimore. 

Many  railroad  companies,  the  civil  service,  and  concerns, 
such  as  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Company,  incorporate 
the  medical  certificate  as  part  of  the  application  blank.  (See 
Figure  92d.) 

Report  to  Employment  Department 

Upon  completion  of  an  examination  the  medical  depart- 
ment should  send  to  the  employment  department,  in  addition 
to  a  copy  of  the  certificate,  a  summary  of  its  findings  on  a 
separate  card  form  (Figure  93),  briefly  classifying  the  appli- 
cant's physical  condition  for  information  in  placing  him,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  calling  attention  to  the  outstanding  points 
the  examination  has  disclosed.  A  check  mark  at  the  proper 
item  indicates  the  epitomized  opinion  of  the  doctor. 

Defects  are  recorded  on  the  card  by  the  letters  A,  B,  C,  D. 
The  card  is  given  to  the  employment  department  so  that  the 


392  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

employment  manager  may  know  what  the  risks  are.     The 
classification  of  the  applicant  is  thus  interpreted: 

A — Perfect  man. 

B — Numerous  small  defects. 

C — Means  a  man  who  has  something  the  matter  with  him. 

There  are  departments  where  it  would  be  all  right 

for  him  to  work. 
D — ^The  man  is  considered  a  bad  risk  for  any  department. 

He  is  an  accident  risk. 


Date 

To  Employment  Department 
M  

is  in  class 

Remarks  < 

Additional  facts: 

f  A 

B 

C 

D 

Medical  Department 

Figure  93.     Card  for  Summarizing  Applicant's  Physical  Condition 

The  employment  manager  looks  this  report  over  and  de- 
cides what  the  opportunities  for  the  man  are.  He  may  be 
fitted  for  one  department  or  several. 

For  concrete  examples  of  how  medical  departments  are 
organized  and  function,  in  industrial  plants  and  large  offices, 
the  following  brief  statements  are  submitted. 


THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT  393 

Caring  for  Injuries  and  Illness 

That  the  real  work  of  the  medical  department  is  of  a 
constructive  nature,  and  that  it  occurs  after  and  not  before 
the  employee  has  been  hired,  is  witnessed  by  the  statements 
of  several  prominent  firms.  A  large  public  utility  company 
of  Illinois  writes: 

Periodical  inspections,  which  include  all  employees  of  the 
company  with  the  exception  of  laborers  and  temporary  help, 
are  conducted  by  the  company  physician.  ...  A  visiting 
nurse  service  is  also  maintained  to  insure  proper  care  and 
medical  attention  of  sick  employees.  The  nurse  is  sent  to 
the  home  of  any  absent  employee  on  the  request  of  the  head 
of  department  in  which  he  works  to  give  such  help  or  sug- 
gestions as  the  case  may  warrant.  The  physical  inspection 
and  medical  examination  of  employees,  the  visiting  nurse 
service,  and  the  company's  welfare  work  in  general  are 
conducted  under  the  supervision  of  the  employment  bureau. 
The  care  exercised  in  safeguarding  the  health  of  employees 
since  this  system  was  established  several  years  ago  has  been 
productive  of  excellent  results  and  has  materially  increased 
the  efficiency  of  the  working  force. 

An  Ohio  clothing  factory  has  these  purposes  for  its  medical 
department : 

For  the  physical  needs  ...  a  complete  medical  depart- 
ment is  maintained  as  part  of  the  employment  and  service 
department.  A  graduate  nurse  is  in  direct  charge  of  this 
work.  The  equipment  includes  a  dispensary,  separate  rest- 
rooms,  a  waiting-room,  and  a  consultation  room  for  the  fac- 
tory physicians.  The  medical  staff  consists  of  a  physician, 
an  oculist,  and  a  dentist.  The  physician  is  at  the  factory 
three  mornings  a  week,  the  oculist  two  mornings,  and  the 
dentist  one  morning.  All  medical  work  done  at  the  factory 
is  paid  for  by  the  company.  Outside  service  of  the  factory 
physician  is  furnished  to  employees  and  their  families  at 
special  rates,  except  in  instances  where  the  employment  and 


394  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

service  department  recommends  treatment  at  the  company's 
expense. 

A  machinery  manufacturer  in  a  Massachusetts  city  of 
200,000  population  says: 

The  employment  department  of  a  factory  is  in  very  close 
touch  with  the  health  department.  It  examines  the  men 
mentally,  just  as  the  health  department  examines  men 
physically.  The  employment  department,  having  determined 
that  the  man  is  mentally  fitted  for  a  certain  type  of  work, 
turns  the  prospective  employee  over  to  the  health  department 
to  determine  whether  he  is  physically  capable  of  handling  the 
work.  If  the  health  department  approves  after  examining 
the  applicant,  every  possible  effort  has  been  made  to  select 
the  right  man  for  the  right  position.  This  is  of  obvious 
value  to  the  factory,  but  it  is  also  of  great  value  to  the 
employee,  because  he  is  placed  in  a  position  where  every 
advantage  is  given  him  to  do  the  best  work  of  which  he  is 
capable  and  from  which  he  has  more  opportunity  to  rise 
than  if  in  a  department  or  position  to  which  he  is  unsuited. 
So  close  is  the  connection  between  the  two  departments 
.  .  .  that  with  the  safety  engineering  department,  a  triad  is 
formed  which  has  a  biweekly  conference  upon  matters  where 
the  three  departments  come  in  touch.  The  smooth  and  in- 
telligent co-operation  between  these  three  departments 
produces  almost  ideal  handling  of  the  problems  of  the 
employee. 

A  department  store  in  a  large  Illinois  city  reports  that: 

The  medical  division  of  our  plant  consists  of  the  head  of 
the  staff  and  three  other  physicians — two  within  the  office 
and  one  for  outside  calls.  There  are  four  nurses — three  for 
office  and  house  emergency  work — and  one  who  makes 
follow-up  calls  for  the  visiting  physician,  and  reports  upon 
home  conditions  of  disabled  employees.  .  .  . 

With  this  force  of  physicians  and  nurses  we  have  accom- 
plished remarkable  results.     The  most  notable  of  these  is 


THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT  395 

the  health  security  which  our  employees  enjoy.  In  spite 
of  the  thousands  in  daily  contact,  there  is  little  danger  from 
the  spreading  of  contagious  disease  because  of  the  constant 
vigilance  of  this  department.  All  employees  partake  of  the 
advantage  of  the  medical  service,  but  those  who  have  served 
one  year  in  the  employment  of  the  company  become  entitled 
to  special  medical  benefits.  Those  who  have  served  less  than 
one  year  receive  attention  in  cases  of  illness  at  the  doctors' 
offices  in  the  store  only.  Those  who  have  served  for  one 
year  or  more  are  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  the  former 
and,  if  necessary,  attendance  at  home  from  the  medical 
director  or  assistants.  In  cases  of  injury  the  Workmen's 
Compensation  Act  requires  a  limited  amount  of  service  to 
the  injured  person,  but  the  effective  organization  of  our 
medical  department  enables  the  company  to  give  every  neces- 
sary attention  for  complete  recovery. 

A  mail-order  house  in  New  York  says : 

There  is  a  fully  equipped  hospital  on  the  third  floor,  with 
a  graduate  nurse  and  attending  physicians  who  may  be  con- 
sulted by  employees  when  ill  during  business  hours.  Beds 
are  provided  in  the  hospital  for  the  accommodation  of  those 
needing  them.  An  eye,  ear,  nose,  and  throat  specialist  is  in 
attendance  three  days  each  week.  Treatments  are  given  and 
eyes  are  examined  free.  Glasses,  if  needed,  are  procured  at 
a  special  price,  and  are  adjusted  by  an  experienced  optician. 
Arrangements  have  been  made  with  the  New  York  Dental 
College,  where  employees  will  be  treated  free  of  charge, 
except  for  the  cost  of  the  material  used. 

An  Ohio  automobile  factory  in  a  city  of  200,000  says : 

The  company  proposes  to  operate  a  health  department  in 
connection  with  the  employment  department  for  the  benefit 
of  all  new  employees  and  such  of  the  present  working  force 
as  desire  to  avail  themselves  of  the  privilege  offered  by  this 
department.  A  physical  examination  will  be  made  free  of 
charge  by  skilled  and  trained  doctors,  with  the  idea  of  giving 
the  employee  an  inventory  of  his  human  machinery. 


30  THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 

All  employees  found  to  be  in  good  physical  condition 
will  be  given  the  privilege  of  having  another  examination 
at  the  expiration  of  a  year.  All  employees  who  possess  ail- 
ments will  be  encouraged  to  consult  their  family  physicians, 
and  they  may  report  to  the  health  department  for  re-examina- 
tion at  stated  intervals  during  the  time  they  are  under  treat- 
ment with  their  family  doctor. 

There  may  be  employees  on  the  premises  doing  work 
which  is  aggravating  some  physical  ailment  or  defect,  and 
they  fear  to  mention  the  fact,  believing  that  such  knowledge 
might  jeopardize  their  position  with  the  company.  These 
employees  are  doing  themselves  a  great  injustice,  because  the 
condition  may  be  so  aggravated  as  to  render  them  totally 
disabled.  This  new  work  is  to  correct  any  misunderstanding 
in  the  minds  of  the  employees  regarding  physical  defects 
and  do  them  a  real  service  by  placing  them  in  work  which 
they  can  do  without  injury  or  handicap  to  themselves  and 
encourage  them  to  receive  treatment  for  their  ailments  and 
eventually  to  become  contented  and  healthy  workers. 

An  automobile  factory  in  a  large  Ohio  city  says: 

Our  medical  department  has  no  responsibility  beyond  re- 
pairing damage  done  at  work,  although  the  doctor  takes  care 
of  sickness  and  injuries  not  contracted  at  work,  to  keep 
men  on  the  job.  Men  able  to  do  light  work,  but  not  their 
regular  work,  are  given  light  work  on  regular  pay.  We  have 
a  man  with  a  bad  heart — on  the  job  by  reason  of  constant 
care  by  the  doctor.  We  have  a  man  60  years  old  who  has 
had  rheumatism  since  childhood.  He  couldn't  get  life  in- 
surance. We  keep  him  on  the  job,  through  the  doctor's 
help,  in  order  that  the  worker  may  pay  for  his  home. 

Importance  of  Health  in  Industry 

The  importance  of  health  in  industry  cannot  be  over- 
estimated. Companies  that  make  careful  inquiry  into  the 
question  of  physical  hygiene  show  that  the  time  lost  by  em- 
ployees through  illness  is  several  times  as  much  as  that  lost 


THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT  397, 

as  the  result  of  accidents.  It  is  true  that  accidents  sometime 
result  in  permanent  disability  and  death,  but  it  is  equally  true 
that  illness  may  also  cause  these  same  results.  Time  lost  on 
account  of  accident  is  less  than  time  lost  on  account  of  personal 
reasons,  while  time  lost  for  personal  reasons  is  less  than  time 
lost  on  account  of  sickness.  The  chief  difference  is  that  the 
loss  to  an  employee  through  accidents  occurring  during  the 
course  of  his  employment,  is  now  generally  recognized  as  a 
cost  which  should  be  borne  by  industry  and  not  by  the  in- 
dividual, while  that  incurred  through  sickness  is  not  so 
regarded.  Since,  however,  the  fundamental  concept  of  work- 
men's compensation  is  to  insure  the  individual  against  heavy 
losses  that  he  is  not  prepared  to  bear,  it  has  been  argued 
that  the  cost  of  illness  should  also  be  transferred  from  his 
shoulders. 

The  Cost  of  Illness 

Illness  in  industry  has  an  effect  on  operating  costs  that 
is  far  from  being  generally  realized.  Whenever  a  man  is 
absent  from  his  work  because  of  illness,  the  substitute  taking 
his  place  is,  as  a  rule,  less  efficient;  he  produces  less,  spoils 
more  raw  material,  and  on  the  whole  requires  more  super- 
vision. 

The  illness  of  a  workman,  therefore,  is  not  a  matter  which 
concerns  only  himself,  for  it  is  a  direct  loss  to  his  employer. 
The  cost  of  health  supervision  is  not  relatively  large,  as  is 
shown  by  a  comparison  of  the  cost  of  such  supervision  in 
99  establishments  employing  nearly  500,000  persons,  made  by 
M.  W.  Alexander  for  the  conference  Board  of  Physicians  in 
Industrial  Practice.  The  figures  vary  rather  widely,  since 
some  plants  reported  only  the  medical  cost,  while  the  majority 
included  the  cost  of  clerical  assistance.  The  average  cost  a 
person  a  year  was  $2.50,  or  about  three- fourths  of  a  cent 
per  day. 


398  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Provisions  for  Physical  Welfare 

The  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company  provides  for 
the  physical  welfare  of  its  employees  in  this  manner: 

Treatments  include  necessary  medical  and  surgical  care, 
physical  examination,  and  instruction  in  hygiene.  Physicians, 
including  a  specialist  for  eye,  ear,  and  throat,  hold  daily 
clinics.  A  dental  clinic  has  recently  been  added  and  the 
teeth  of  employees  will  be  examined  semiannually.  Generally 
speaking,  most  of  the  cases  require  minor  surgery  or  the 
application  of  simple  therapeutic  agencies,  so  that,  after  a 
visit  to  the  dispensary,  the  employee  is  enabled  to  continue 
at  work.  Heretofore,  in  the  absence  of  dispensary  facilities, 
it  was  necessary  to  send  home  any  one  who  was  temporarily 
unable  to  work.  The  experience  with  the  medical  service 
has,  therefore,  justified  the  company's  foresight  in  establish- 
ing it. 

All  applicants  for  positions  in  the  home  office  are  sub- 
jected to  a  careful  medical  examination,  not  only  to  discover 
any  inherent  tendency  toward  early  incapacity,  but  to  safe- 
guard the  health  of  the  staff  already  engaged.  A  re-examina- 
tion is  made  annually  in  order  that  serious  diseases  may  be 
discovered  in  the  early  stages  and  proper  remedies  suggested.^ 

Yet,  as  may  be  expected  where  over  4,000  persons  are 
employed,  a  considerable  number  is  taken  ill  each  day  while 
at  work.  For  such  sick  employees  the  company  provided 
in  June,  191 1,  a  completely  equipped  dispensary,  consisting 
of  a  nurses'  office,  two  service  rooms,  one  restroom  for  men 
and  one  for  women,  and  an  isolation  room  for  the  treatment 
of  accidents.  • 

The  dispensary  is  open  during  office  hours,  i.e.,  9  a.m.  to 
4:30  P.M.;  Saturday  9  a.m.  to  i  p.m.  The  medical  directors, 
their  assistants  and  three  graduate  nurses  are  in  charge. 

If  clerks  develop  tuberculosis,  they  are  sent  to  the  com- 
pany's sanatarium  at  Mt.  McGregor.  This  is  described  later 
in  this  pamphlet.  The  company's  interest  in  a  case  does  not 
cease  after  the  clerk  is  able  to  return  to  work.  There  are 
now  twenty-two  ex-patients  at  work  under  the  supervision 


*  For  a   fuller   discussion   of  this   subject,  see   Appendix  K. 


THE   MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT  399 

of  the  medical  department.  These  patients  are  given  extra 
diets  daily — morning  and  afternoon.  It  is  possible,  therefore, 
to  observe  these  arrested  cases  twice  daily.  In  this  way, 
any  change  in  general  appearance  or  return  of  temperature 
may  be  noted  and  immediate  action  taken.  Temperature, 
pulse,  and  weight  are  recorded  biweekly. 

During  the  period  of  one  year,  23,098  visits  were  made  to 
the  dispensary  by  1,948  patients.  Of  these,  67.3  per  cent  were 
women  and  32.7  per  cent  were  men;  14,573  medical  and 
8,525  surgical  treatments  were  given.  The  daily  average 
was  83.75  treatments.  Also  288  patients  were  referred  to 
hospitals  and  other  institutions  for  special  treatment. 

In  that  year  eyes  were  examined  for  defects  in  vision  in 
485  cases,  and  1,588  prescriptions  were  filled  through  the  dis- 
pensary at  cost. 

Aid  to  Workmen's  Families 

Some  companies  not  only  give  medical  and  surgical  atten- 
tion to  injured  employees,  but  also  furnish  all  the  medical 
aid  required  for  the  families  of  workmen  as  well  as  for  the 
employees  themselves.  One  company  employing  11,000  per- 
sons bears  the  cost  of  all  medical  attention  required  for  their 
employees  and  families,  amounting  to  approximately  $12  a 
year  per  family,  which  figures  down  to  about  4  cents  per 
employee  per  day.  To  record  medical  service  of  this  kind 
may  necessitate  the  use  of  a  card,  similar  to  the  one  reproduced 
in  Figure  94. 

t 
An  Ounce  of  Prevention 

Educating  employees  in  the  observance  of  health  rules  is 
a  necessary  accompaniment  of  the  other  efforts  and  aims 
of  the  medical  department.  Good  water,  ventilation,  digestible 
food,  regularity  in  private  habits,  and  health  in  the  home  affect 
accident  rates,  fatigue,  regularity  in  attendance  at  work,  and 
antagonism  of  mind  among  workers  more  than  is  commonly 
realized. 


400 


THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 


CHCCK  NO. 


NAME 


ADDRESS 


NATURE  OF  INJURY 


REPORT  rOR   DUTY 


Figure  94.     (a)  Patient's  Record  Card.      (face) 


PATIENT'S  RECORD, 
Name                                                                              Address 

19 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20121  2i 

23124 

25  26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31j               Total             1 

• 

■ 

; 

! 

i 

1 

! 

n 

h 

1 

! 

1 

Remarks : 

ABB«^i*TiOH8 :    Sf.8«If    Wf.Wlfe    Moth.  Mother    Cd.Chnd    Dtr.  Danghter    Son  Son    X.  B.amfnaUon    C.  X.  Trine  Hx«m. 

Dr.  DreMlnj;    P.  Prewrriptlon    V.  VUit    D.  Death    C.  Con»uimtlon    A.  Accouchement    O.  Operation    N.  Night  Call. 

^— 

^~ 

■" 

^~ 

^~ 

^n 

^~ 

^~ 

^~ 

■^ 

^>" 

■"» 

■■" 

'■"' 

m^ 

""■ 

Figure  94.     (b)  Patient's  Record  Card.     (Size  6  x  4.)       (reverse) 


THE   MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT  40I 

Through  the  plant  journal  and  by  getting  out  a  series 
of  special  "health  letters"  ^  the  medical  department  can  talk 
to  the  entire  personnel  on  hygienic  subjects,  extending  advice 
on  general  topics  relating  to  prevention  and  cure  of  ailments 
that  are  common  or  prevalent.  If  the  articles  and  letters  are 
prepared  in  a  simple,  yet  interesting  way,  the  employees  and 
their  families  will  read  them.  The  ''letters'*  may  be  mailed 
to  the  home  address  of  the  employees  or  given  out  with  the 
pay  envelope. 

Value  of  the  Medical  Department 

Thus  from  every  point  of  view,  the  properly  conducted 
medical  department  has  not  only  justified  its  existence,  but 
has  become  an  invaluable  factor  in  industry  both  as  a  money- 
saver  and  as  a  great  humanizing  influence.  To  function  to  the 
greatest  advantage,  it  must  be  closely  allied  with,  if  not  actually 
a  part  of  the  employment  department.  By  this  close  associa- 
tion, both  the  mental  and  physical  welfare  of  the  employee 
is  assured. 


*See  Appendix  I* 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE  PLACE  OF  WOMEN   IN  PERSONNEL  WORK 

Women  in  Industry 

The  war  not  only  opened  the  gates  of  industry  to  women, 
but  in  a  manner  of  speaking,  herded  them  together  and  forced 
them  through  the  gates.  Toward  the  end  of  the  war  (October, 
1 918),  it  was  estimated  that  11,800,000  women  were  gain- 
fully employed  in  the  United  States;  and  the  end  of  the  war 
has  not  ended  their  association  with  industry.  The  vast  ma- 
jority of  them  will  remain  in  it.  They  were  diligent,  willing, 
skilful.  They  have  become  a  factor  seriously  to  be  reckoned 
with. 

Woman  Must  Work 

Woman  is  not  in  industry  from  choice.  She  is  not  there 
to  earn  pin  money,  so  called ;  she  is  not  there  merely  to  increase 
her  wardrobe ;  she  is  there  for  the  same  reason  man  is  there^ — 
the  very  living  one  of  earning  her  daily  bread.  She  is  not 
contending  against  him,  as  in  a  race ;  she  is  simply  a  cotraveler 
on  the  same  road  of  toil. 

Women  in  the  Employment  Department 

To  some  firms  the  question  of  getting  and  holding  female 
help  is  as  important  as  that  of  securing  male  help.  Yet  it  is  dif- 
ferent. Woman  differs  from  man  fundamentally.  Her  mental 
attitudes  are  different  from  his,  her  environment  will  have 
different  effects  on  her,  and  her  susceptibility  to  fatigue  and 
disease  is  much  greater.  And  her  problem  must  be  handled 
accordingly. 

402 


PLACE   OF   WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK  403 

In  view  of  what  has  already  been  said,  there  would  seem 
to  be  no  doubt  that  the  question  of  female  help  presents  prob- 
lems that  would  best  be  solved  by  a  woman — a  woman  in 
the  capacity  of  employment  manager,  or  one  under  the  super- 
vision of  a  male  employment  manager. 

This  matter,  because  of  its  very  newness,  is  difficult  to 
determine.  Little  effort  has  yet  been  made  to  collect  data 
and  to  learn  what  has  been  the  experience  of  business  houses. 

However,  it  is  not  altogether  a  matter  of  conjecture.  Some 
light  is  to  be  had  in  this  matter — from  two  sources:  from 
inquiry  among  progressive  business  houses,  and  from  women 
who  are  actually  living  the  lives  of  employment  managers. 

The  Opinion  of  the  Business  Man 

Below  is  set  forth  the  result  of  such  an  inquiry  among 
business  houses.  The  opinions  contained  in  the  letters  are 
widely  divergent  as  to  some  points,  and  parallel  on  others; 
but  the  consensus  of  opinion  seems  to  be  that  woman  has  a 
very  definite  place  in  the  employment  department — especially 
where  women  are  employed. 

Of  the  twenty-nine  executives  of  large  organizations  who 
replied  to  this  inquiry: 

1.  Nineteen  stated  that  they  believed  women  had  a  place 

in  employment  managing. 

2.  Three  stated  that  women  had  no  place  in  employment 

managing. 

3.  Seventeen  stated  that  women  might  be  used  to  employ 

women,  but  not  men. 

4.  One  stated  that  women  could  employ  men  just  as  well 

as  they  could  employ  women. 

5.  The  balance  of  these  letters  were  non-committal 

Some  Representative  Opinions 

Some  representative  letters  are  the  following: 


404  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Goodman  Manufacturing  Company 
Chicago,  Illinois 

I  shall 'give  you  exactly  what  you  ask  for,  namely,  some 
of  my  ideas  in  the  matter,  but  I  must  say  that  they  are  based 
entirely  on  observation  and  discussions  in  connection  with 
plants  other  than  our  own,  as  we  employ  no  women  in 
managerial  or  executive  capacities. 

As  you  say,  the  term  "employment  management"  is  used 
in  a  broad  sense;  so  much  so  that  I  hesitate  to  answer  your 
questions  without  first  imposing  some  limitations  on  the 
term.  I  Hke  your  use  of  ''personnel  relations,"  and  its  sub- 
division, as  you  indicate,  appeals  to  me  as  logical.  It  is  not 
clear  to  me,  however,  what  the  function  of  the  service  depart- 
ment is  unless  it  should  be  along  the  lines  of  welfare  work. 

I.  I  believe  there  is  a  place  for  women  in  the  fields  of 
employment  management  (using  the  term  now  in  its  broad 
sense).  In  those  plants  employing  women  and  girls  exclu- 
sively, the  entire  field  including  hiring,  training,  and  service, 
could  be,  and  I  think  should  be,  handled  by  a  woman  under 
the  direction  of  the  general  manager.  I  believe  this  could 
also  be  accomplished  in  plants  where  women  and  girls 
predominate. 

In  those  plants  employing  any  considerable  number  of 
women  where  an  equal  or  greater  number  of  men  are  em- 
ployed, I  should  think  a  woman  could  handle  the  training 
and  service  sections  for  women,  under  a  general  manager 
of  employment,  who  would  be  responsible  for  hiring.  These 
suggestions  are  based  upon  the  belief  that  in  plants  of  the 
first  class  enumerated,  the  hiring,  training,  and  other  prob- 
lems pertaining  to  women  are  greater  factors  in  plant  man- 
agement than  where  male  employees  predominate.  It 
therefore  seems  that  a  woman  of  broad  viewpoint  and  other 
suitable  characteristics  should  handle  the  problems  men- 
tioned. It  is  also  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  person 
best  fitted  to  direct  such  activities  must  possess  tact,  intui- 
tion, sympathy,  and  ready  understanding  of  the  problems, 
financial  and  social,  that  confront  women  in  industry.  Such 
qualifications  are  more  likely  to  be  found  in  greater  degree 


PLACE   OF   WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK  405 

in  a  woman  than  in  a  man,  although  a  woman  may  not 
possess  so  great  a  degree  of  executive  ability.  It  is  after 
all  a  matter  of  organization  (and  "overhead")  as  to  the  scope 
of  such  a  woman's  activities,  which  must  be  determined  for 
any  particular  plant  under  consideration. 

2.  As  to  preparation  for  such  work,  I  should  think  that 
practical  experience  would  come  first  and  educational  second. 
Observation  of  plants  employing  women  would  be  necessary 
to  get  a  line  on  employment  methods,  and  actual  experience 
as  an  employee  would  be  essential  to  develop  the  point  of 
view  of  any  employee.  A  woman  who  has  risen  from  the 
ranks  of  the  employed  to  a  position  of  some  authority  would 
be  able  to  see  both  sides  of  the  questions  that  constantly 
arise  between  employee  and  management.  As  to  education, 
there  should  be  sufficient  to  have  inculcated  orderly  methods 
of  thought  and  to  have  cultivated  analytical  ability.  You 
will  see  that  it  is  the  results  of  education  which  I  am  em- 
phasizing, and  not  the  actual  number  of  years  in  high  school 
or  college. 

In  your  question  as  to  what  type  of  personality  is  most 
suitable,  you  ask  what  is  very  difficult  to  answer  concretely, 
but  I  think  a  foregoing  paragraph  giving  what  I  regard  as 
necessary  qualifications  will  at  least  indicate  an  answer  to    • 
the  question. 

3.  In  the  past  there  have  been,  as  you  know,  many  objec- 
tions to  women  in  executive  or  managerial  positions  in 
industry,  the  feeling  apparently  having  been  that  women  as 
a  class  were  intellectually  inferior  to  men.  On  this  account 
many  hindrances  were  placed  in  the  paths  of  those  women 
who  endeavored  to  blaze  a  new  trail  for  themselves,  their 
authority  being  restricted  and  opposition  being  presented  by 
those  from  whom  they  should  have  expected  co-operation. 
Of  late  years,  however,  this  attitude  seems  to  be  passing,  it 
having  been  demonstrated,  particularly  during  the  war,  that 
in  many  fields  of  endeavor  women  are  equal  and  in  some 
cases  superior  to  men.  I  do  not  see  any  objection  at  all 
to  women  entering  the  field  of  employment  management. 
Such  hindrances  as  they  may  meet  would  probably  be  local 
and  the  elimination  of  such  hindrances  would  be  largely  a 
matter  of  personality. 


4o6  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

4.  My  views  on  the  limitation  of  effort  are  outlined  in 
a  foregoing  paragraph.  As  to  serving  in  executive  positions 
in  departments  where  male  employees  are  engaged,  I  should 
say  this  would  depend  upon  the  individual  and  her  ability 
to  secure  the  masculine  point  of  view. 

5.  I  am  not  qualified  to  answer  your  question  as  to 
salaries,  because,  as  stated  above,  we  have  no  women  in  our 
own  plant  in  managerial  or  executive  capacities. 

A.  B.  Benedict. 


130  East  15th  Street 
New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

'Is  there  a  place  for  women  in  the  field  of  employment 
management  ?" 

I  should  say  "Yes"  very  decidedly. 

"Why?"  For  several  reasons.  The  work  in  this  field 
requires  an  understanding  of  human  nature,  individual  and 
en  masse,  which  I  think  women  often  possess.  The  much 
abused  word  "intuition"  does  not,  I  think,  do  justice  to  the 
ability  quickly  to  analyze  a  situation  or  an  indivdual  which 
is  often  needed  in  this  work  and  which  is  possessed  by  more 
women  in  proportion,  than  men,  I  think.  Again,  women  have 
the  faculty  of  appearing  sympathetic,  although  I  do  not 
believe  they  are,  in  general,  as  genuinely  sympathetic  as 
men.  Both  these  things  help — they  can  win  the  confidence 
of  employees  or  prospective  employees  and  yet  are  not  overapt 
to  let  sympathy  dictate  a  foolish  decision  to  help  an  in- 
capable person.  Frankly,  I  am  not  of  those  who  think  women 
impractical.  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  they  get  at  the 
fundamentals  (given  equal  previous  training)  quite  as 
quickly  as  men,  and  that,  in  business,  the  better  grade  are 
intelligently  selfish.  They  are  therefore  very  well  equipped 
for  business,  and  in  personnel  work  they  have  a  field  in 
which  there  is  not,  I  should  say,  the  antagonism  which  they 
are  likely  to  meet  with  in  most  other  lines  of  work,  because 
of  their  sex.     It  is  a  new  field  and  they  start  fairly  even. 

C.  Roy  Lammert. 


PLACE  OF  WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK  407 

Durham  Hosiery  Mills 
Durham,  N.  C. 

We  feel  that  in  the  field  of  employment  management  there 
is  a  splendid  opening  for  women.  In  our  department  the 
employment  manager  is  a  man,  but  in  his  absence  from  the 
office  the  analyst  sees  all  applicants.  It  is  my  opinion  that 
where  women  are  to  be  employed  it  is  best  to  have  a  woman 
as  employment  manager,  although  there  is  no  serious  objec- 
tion in  having  her  employ  male  help  also. 

As  for  preparation,  it  would  be  wise  for  a  person  ex- 
pecting to  take  up  this  work  to  take  a  course  in  employment 
management  as  is  included  now  in  the  courses  given  at  various 
colleges  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  also  in  New  England. 
Two  members  of  this  department  took  up  this  work  in  New 
York  last  winter. 

Mrs.  W.  W.  Shaw, 
Manager. 


The  Chase  National  Bank 

New  York,  N.  Y. 

In  the  first  place  I  believe  there  is  a  place  for  women 
in  the  field  of  employment  management  and  that  this  field 
will  exist  just  so  long  as  women  remain  in  business.  The 
right  type  of  woman  will  ordinarily  do  a  better  job  in 
selecting  women  employees  on  their  merits  than  a  man  will, 
although  I  believe  that  the  average  woman  looking  for  a 
position  would  rather  seek  a  position  from  a  man.  At  the 
same  time  my  experience  convinces  me  that  men  dislike 
particularly  to  talk  with  a  woman  employment  manager  about 
a  position  and  I  do  not  believe  that  a  woman  should  be  used 
to  select  men  employees. 

R.    G.    RODKEY. 


408  THE   HUMAN    ELEMENT 

Before  we  leave  these  expressions  of  personal  opinion,  let 
us  cite  just  one  more — an  extract  of  a  speech  by  Hugh  Fuller- 
ton,  Service  Director  for  H.  Black  and  Company,  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  delivered  at  the  Employment  Managers'  Conference  in 
Rochester,  as  long  ago  as  May,  1918:  "I  want  to  stand  sponsor 
for  the  statement,  and  I  want  to  emphasize  it,  that  the  man 
having  a  large  number  of  women  in  his  plant  needs  the 
assistance  of  a  woman  interviewer.'* 

The  Woman  Employment  Manager 

The  woman  employment  manager  urges  her  case  in  this 
wise:  She  points  out,  with  a  great  deal  of  apparent  truth, 
the  numerous  advantages  a  woman  has  over  a  man  in  hiring 
women.  To  begin  with  (says  the  female  employment  man- 
ager— and  the  views  that  follow  are  hers  also)  she  can  make 
a  better  appraisal  of  women.  She  has  a  better  understanding 
of  the  mainsprings  of  a  woman's  actions.  She  is  looking  at 
life  from  the  same  angle.  The  problems  of  the  woman  she 
is  employing  have  been  her  own  problems.  She  has  a  deeper 
sympathy,  therefore,  and  is  better  able  to  put  herself  in  the 
applicant's  place. 

A  Woman  Begets  Confidence 

A  woman  begets  confidence  in  other  women.  A  girl  or 
woman  will  unburden  her  heart  to  a  female  employment  man- 
ager of  matters  she  would  never  think  of  mentioning  to  a 
man. 

As  has  been  said  before,  a  great  deal  depends  upon  the 
first  meeting  between  the  firm  and  the  applicant.  To  a  great 
many  girls  the  ordeal  of  being  hired  is  very  little  worse  than 
their  conception  of  charging  a  battery;  but  if  they  find  the 
employing  is  to  be  done  by  one  of  their  own  sex,  their  nerves 
relax  and  they  are  able  to  give  tongue  to  their  thoughts  and 
their  ambitions. 


PLACE   OF   WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK  409 

The  Teaching  Instinct 

The  advantages  according  to  the  advocates  of  the  woman 
employment  manager,  do  not  stop  here.  In  woman,  the  teach- 
ing instinct  is  inseparable  from  the  maternal  instinct. 

The  teaching  instinct  is  an  important  asset  to  the  employ- 
ment manager.  A  woman  likes  to  see  those  under  her  grow 
and  develop — especially  by  her  efforts.  She  takes  an  intense 
interest  in  those  she  employs,  urges  them  to  greater  efforts, 
helps  them,  guides  them,  checks  them  when  necessary,  and 
advances  them  when  she  can. 

The  Female  Employment  Manager  as  a  Confidant 

If  a  female  employment  manager  is  the  right  sort,  she 
will  find  herself  the  confidant  of  scores  of  her  female  em- 
ployees. A  girl  before  whom  life  is  opening,  is  sometimes 
greatly  puzzled  by  it,  and  not  a  little  frightened.  Such  a  one 
will  often  feel  that  her  mother  is  apathetic  or  ignorant  of 
her  mental  wrestlings  (as  mothers  sometimes  are)  and  that 
she  has  no  one  to  turn  to  for  advice  and  counsel. 

Girls  in  this  dilemma  will  naturally  seek  their  employment 
manager.  They  will  lay  their  problems  unreservedly  before 
her  and  they  will  receive  the  benefit  of  her  accumulated 
knowledge  and  larger  experience.  More  than  that,  they  will 
feel  they  have  in  her  a  sympathetic  counselor  on  whom  they 
can  depend — or  to  put  it  more  vividly,  an  "anchor  to  wind- 
ward." 

The  Female  Employment  Manager  and  the  Male  Worker 

The  chief  objection  raised  against  the  female  employment 
manager  is  that  men  do  not  care  to  deal  with  a  woman  when 
seeking  a  job.  To  a  certain  extent  that  is  true.  A  great  many 
men  do  object  to  asking  a  woman  for  a  job ;  but  the  objection 
is  owing  to  prejudice  rather  than  to  anything  else,  and  usually 
vanishes  when  they  have  tried  the  experiment. 


4IO  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

A  woman  is  not  without  insight  into  the  problems  of  a 
man.  The  mother  of  a  household  is  the  mentor  of  her  little 
domain,  even  after  her  children  are  grown  up.  She  has  been 
the  solver  of  her  boys'  problems  from  infancy,  through  boy- 
hood, and  into  manhood.  This  has  gone  on  for  so  many 
generations  that  the  thing  has  become  hereditary  and  is  as 
common  to  women  as  their  ten  fingers.  And  that  faculty  alone 
is  of  incalculable  value  in  employment  managing. 

The  average  foreman  is  especially  hard  to  convince  of  the 
practicability  of  having  a  woman  hire  his  workers.  Yet  he 
comes  round  when  he  realizes  that  she  is  able  to  do  it  at  least 
as  well  as  he,  and  generally  a  great  deal  better. 

One  woman  who  makes  a  business  of  organizing  and  in- 
stalling employment  departments,  met  most  determined 
opposition  from  one  foreman  in  a  certain  plant.  He  con- 
sidered her  not  only  an  interloper,  but  one  without  any  training 
or  fitness  for  the  job,  and  with  only  effrontery  to  hold  her 
there. 

The  employment  manager  knew  the  attitude  of  the  fore- 
man, and  frequently  called  him  into  her  office  to  ask  his  advice 
and  help  in  hiring  certain  classes  of  men.  His  antipathy  began 
gradually  to  fade,  and  at  last  it  vanished  altogether. 

"Look  here,"  he  said  one  day,  "it's  useless  to  call  me  in 
here,  for  I  find  you  know  as  much  about  the  people  I  want 
as  I  do  myself." 

And  a  very  short  time  after  that  he  came  to  her  to  ask 
her  to  help  him  keep  a  valuable  workman.  His  attitude,  which 
was  merely  the  result  of  old  prejudices,  had  changed  com- 
pletely. 

An  Additional  Source  of  Information 

There  is  yet  another  source  of  information  on  the  subject 
of  woman's  fitness  for  employment  managing — that  is,  the 
record  made  of  women  in  other  executive  positions. 


PLACE   OF   WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK  4" 

The  information  in  question  has  been  compiled  by  Mrs. 
Janet  Huntington  in  her  "Survey  of  Opportunities  in  Factories 
for  the  Executive  and  Technically  Trained  Woman."  ^  This 
information  is  the  very  latest  of  its  kind,  it  is  thorough,  and 
it  is  comprehensive.  Some  citations  from  this  report,  setting 
forth  the  aspirations  of  women  workers,  are  given  below: 

One  factory  employing  five  thousand  women  limits  all 
responsible  work  to  men.  Outside  of  three  first-aid  nurses, 
no  women  were  found  doing  work  above  that  of  operative, 
office  worker,  or  monitor.  The  monitors  are  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  foremen.  The  employment  department  is  exclu- 
sively masculine.  Although  the  product  is  bought  almost 
entirely  by  women  and  advertises  extensively,  no  woman  is 
employed  in  advertising  or  sales  office  except  for  clerical 
work.  Although  many  women  are  technically  expert  in  the 
general  field,  and  are  used  in  similar  government  work,  no 
women  are  found  in  the  laboratories.  Workers  of  a  high 
rate  of  ability  are  placed  under  inexperienced  foremen  who 
are  frequently  much  younger  than  the  average  of  the  women 
they  supervise. 

It  was  in  this  factory  more  than  in  any  other  visited 
that  the  workers  were  criticized  for  taking  no  interest  in 
their  work,  for  being  unreliable  and  shiftless,  for  showing  no 
especial  spirit  of  energy  and  efficiency.  To  what  could  a 
girl  employed  here  look  forward  ?  The  humblest  man  worker 
had  a  ladder  of  opportunity  before  him.  She  could  hope 
for  a  monitor's  job  at  eighteen  a  week. 

Contrast  this  condition  with  that  of  the  plant  where  the 
vocational  department  made  a  special  effort  to  show  each 
girl  the  possibilities  in  her  individual  job,  or,  if  she 
had  ambition,  to  transfer  her  to  a  job  with  advancement 
possibilities.  Here  were  no  complaints  of  slacking.  Here 
was  a  spirit  of  contentment  on  the  part  of  the  girl  willing  to 
perform  "futureless"  work,  and  of  happy  endeavor  on  the 
part  of  the  woman  of  ambition. 


*  Published  by  the  Employment  Branch,  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  6io  Lexington  Avenue, 
New  York  City,  and  the  Industrial  Department,  War  Work  Council,  National  Board 
Y.  W.   C.   A.,   600   Lexingfton  Avenue,   New  York   City. 


412  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Summary  of  Survey 

Below   is   a   statistical   summary   of    Mrs.    Huntington's 
survey. 

Part  4 — Detailed  Survey  Findings 

The  following  statistical  tables  present  in  brief  form  the 
findings  of  the  factory  survey: 

Number  employing  normally  under  100  women 34 

Number  employing  normally  100  and  under  200  women. .     yy 
Number  employing  normally  200  or  more  women 139 

Total  factories  visited 250 

Total  number  employing  no  women  in  responsible  job. . .  31 

Total  number  employing  forewomen 73 

Total  number  employing  women  executives  other  than 

or  besides  forewomen 146 

Total  factories 250 

The  Small  Shops    (Group  A) 

Number  employing  no  women  as  executives  or  techni- 
cians      II 

Number  employing  women  as  forewomen  only 10 

Number  employing  women  executives  other  than  fore- 
women        13 

Total  shops 34 

The  Mid-Size  Shops   (Group  B) 

Number  employing  no  women  as  executives  or  techni- 
cians         13 

Number  employing  women  as  forewomen  only 33 

Number  employing  women  executives  other  than  fore- 
women        31 

Total  shops yy 


PLACE   OF   WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK 

The  Large  Shops  (Group  C) 

Number  employing  no  women  as  executives  or  techni- 
cians       7 

Number  employing  women  as  forewomen  only 30 

Number  employing  women  executives  other  than  fore- 
women     102 

Total  shops 139 


413 


Results  by  Industries 


Industry 


I. 
3. 
3- 

4. 

s. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 
xo. 
II. 

12. 
13. 
14. 
IS. 

16. 


Women's  wear 

Paper  and  printing 

Textiles 

Electricity  and  machinery 

Hats 

Candy 

Men's  wear 

Handkerchiefs,  sheets,  etc. 

Food  products 

Canvas  and  leather 

Pencils 

Tobacco 

Laundry 

Chemicals  and  drugs 

Fur 

Miscellaneous 


Total 250 


Number  with 


No. 
Visited 


No. 

Women 

Exec. 


31 


Fore- 
women 
Only 


73 


Other 
than 
Fore- 
women 


43 

18 

17 

IS 

9 

6 

6 

2 

S 

4 

2 

2 

2 

2 

I 

12 


146 


Per  Cent  with 


No. 

Women 

Exec. 


Fore- 
women 
Only 


30 
27 
26 
16 
38 
SO 
31 
«66 
25 
17 
SO 

SO 

67 
II 


29 


Other 
than 
Fore- 
women 


60 
60 
74 
79 
SO 
36 
46 
17 
63 
66 
SO 
SO 
SO 
67 

67 


Woman's  Versatility 

As  may  be  seen  from  the  figures  set  forth  above,  practically 
every  sort  of  an  industrial  plant  was  visited,  and  that  146, 
or  59  per  cent  of  them,  employed  women  executives.  It 
seems  to  be  very  significant,  when  more  than  half  of  a  number 
of  firms  picked  at  random,  are  found  to  employ  women  execu- 
tives. It  seems  to  prove  that  women  are  willing,  capable, 
progressive,  and  in  industry  to  stay. 


414  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

In  the  following  analysis  of  the  positions  held  by  women, 
the  remarkable  versatility  of  these  women  executives  will  be 
noticed.  They  fill  practically  every  position  a  man  is  capable 
of  filling,  and  are  doing  it  competently,  no  doubt,  or  they 
would  not  be  allowed  to  remain  there. 

Analysis  of  Executive  and  Technical  Positions  Held 
BY  Women  in  the  Factories  Investigated 

I  Director  of  firm. 

I  Vice-President. 

I  Mediator  between  help  and  management. 

Labor  Relations 

I  Personnel  director. 
26  Employment  managers   (these  are  for  women  help). 

I  Employment  manager  retail  stores. 

I  Employment  manager  for  all  help  except  in  office. 
25  Assistant  employment  managers. 

1  Service  director  with  duties  of  nurse  and  lunchroom  manager. 
25  Welfare  workers: 

I  With  duties  of  employment  of  women  and  cafeteria  manager. 
I  With  duties  of  publicity. 

I  With  duties  of  assistant  in  employment,  library  and  cafeteria. 
4  Doctors. 
80  Nurses: 

5  With  duties  of  welfare  worker. 

I  With  duties  of  welfare  worker,  lunchroom,  and  interviews. 

I  With  duties  of  welfare  worker,  psychologist,  and  physical 

director. 
I  With  duties  of  lunchroom  manager,  in  charge  of  men  and 

girls. 
I  With  duties  of  librarian. 

I  With  duties  of  employment  manager  and  welfare  worker. 
I  Assistant  nurse. 
II  Instructors: 

I  Traveling  instructor  (with  large  salary). 

2  Visitors.  ) 


PLACE   OF  WOMEN   IN   PERSONNEL  WORK  4^5 

58  Matrons: 

3  With  duties  of  nurse. 
19  Lunchroom  managers: 

3  Assistant  lunchroom  managers: 

I  With  duties  of  Hbrarian. 
I  Inspector  of  efficiency. 

Production  and  Statistics 

9  Factory  managers: 

I  Is  member  of  firm  and  does  employing. 
116  Production  supervisors. 
51  Assistant  production  supervisors. 
76  Department  heads. 
46  Assistant  department  heads. 

4  Head  timekeepers. 

99  Forewomen  who  are  heads  of  departments  and  hire  for  their 
departments : 
I  Forewoman  is  member  of  firm. 

1  Forewoman  has  duties  of  trained  nurse  and  welfare  worker. 

1  Superintendent  of  all  departments. 
22  Office  managers: 

2  With  duties  of  service  worker. 
4  Subheads  of  office  departments. 

15  Heads  of  filing  departments: 

I  With  duties  of  research  in  filing. 

I  With  duties  of  librarian  and  information  clerk. 

2  In  charge  of  stenographic  department. 
4  In  charge  of  pay-roll  department. 

2  In  charge  of  billing  department. 
I  In  charge  of  order  department. 
I  In  charge  of  transcribing  department. 
I  In  charge  of  credit  department. 

1  Chief  clerk. 

2  Head  statisticians. 
12  Statisticians. 

1  Assistant  statistician. 
6  Chief  accountants. 

9  Accountants. 

2  Head  bookkeepers. 


4l6  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

7  Cashiers: 

(i  confidential.) 
I  Assistant  cashier. 

Advertising  and  Sales 
3  In  charge  of  advertising  department. 

1  Assistant  manager  of  advertising  department. 
6  Publicity  workers. 

3  Special  writers. 

4  Editors. 

4  Advertising  solicitors. 

2  Copywriters. 
I  Buyer. 

1 6  Artists. 
I  Head  correspondence  department. 
95  Correspondents. 

1  Assistant  correspondent. 

2  Sales  executives. 

1 6  Saleswomen  on  the  road. 
2  Demonstrators. 

Research  and  Professional 
I  Pharmacist  shares  duties  of   employment  manager  with   fore- 
woman. 

8  Chemists: 

2  With  duties  of  employment. 

1  Analytical  chemist, 
loi  Designers. 

6  Fitters. 
24  Draftsmen. 
4  Engineers: 

2  are  assistant  at  present. 

2  Manuscript  readers. 
10  Librarians: 

2  of  these  combine  their  functions. 
6  Translators. 
I  Assistant  librarian. 

Two  firms  in  the  printing  trade  which  were  also  among  the^^ 
largest  visited,  declined  to  give  figures  but  said  that  the  majority  of' 
their  executives  are  women — in  one  case  90  per  cent.  < 


CHAPTER  XXX 
INDUSTRIAL   HOUSING 

Housing  a  Real  Problem 

Industrial  housing  is  a  real  problem,  more  acute  in  some 
places  than  in  others,  and  taking  different  forms  according 
to  local  conditions.  On  the  economic  or  financial  side,  it  is 
in  the  aggregate  enormous;  while  on  the  social  side  there  is 
probably  no  other  activity  that  does  more  to  fix  the  conditions 
determining  the  health  and  character  of  our  people. 

The  social  cause  of  evil  housing  is  not  alone  traceable  to 
indifference,  ignorance,  or  selfishness  on  the  part  of  the  land- 
lord or  builder,  but  to  the  lack  of  adequate  social  control  of 
land  and  buildings  as  well.  Under  modern  economic  condi- 
tions the  'peculator  may  buy  cheap  land  and  hold  it  unbuilt 
for  a  rise  in  value;  or  if  he  does  build  on  it  he  may  erect 
unsafe  houses  and  demand  whatever  rent  competition  will 
allow.  As  immigrants  and  rural  classes  swarm  to  the  various 
industrial  centers,  housing  facilities  become  limited.  Houses 
that  were  intended  for  one  family  are  remodeled  and  filled 
by  many.  Land  values  as  well  as  rents,  advance  as  the  work- 
ing population  increases.  The  number  of  rooms  for  rent 
diminishes,  the  housing  question  becomes  an  acute  problem, 
the  supply  of  available  dwellings  becomes  so  small  that  the 
majority  of  the  population  are  forced  to  content  themselves 
with  unsatisfactory  and  even  dangerous  conditions. 

Housing  Problem  Not  Yet  Solved 

The  fluctuating  demands  of  industry  and  the  monopoly 
of  land  render  the  erection  and  ownership  of  homes  imprac- 

417 


4l8  THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 

ticable  to  the  majority  of  workers  unless  financial  assistance 
is  extended.  The  home-owning  impulse  is  losing  rather  than 
gaining  among  workingmen,  for  they  fear  that  home  owner- 
ship will  limit  their  freedom  of  choice  as  to  their  place  of 
employment.  On  the  other  hand,  the  increasing  congestion 
of  labor  in  various  manufacturing  centers  throughout  the 
country,  the  lack  of  decent  living  quarters  in  many  of  these 
centers,  and  the  higher  wages  which  many  skilled  and  unskilled 
workmen  are  receiving,  have  encouraged  the  ambitious  worker 
to  desire  a  home  of  his  own.  Hence,  while  the  demand  for 
houses  is  increasing,  the  supply  is  diminishing,  and  the  housing 
problem  is  yet  unsolved. 

Capital  Not  Investing  in  Housing 

Capital  in  general  has  for  some  years  been  more  inclined 
to  seek  other  channels  of  investment  than  housing.  The  in- 
dividual home-builder  and  the  large  operator  alike  have  been 
finding  it  progressively  more  difficult  to  obtain  housing  mort- 
gage loans  on  favorable  terms  as  compared  with  those  terms 
which  can  be  secured  on  other  classes  of  investment. 

Causes  for  Poor  Housing 

All  these  causes,  resulting  in  the  enforced  acceptance  of 
unsatisfactory  accommodations,  lie  back  of  the  insufficient  con- 
struction of  adequate  housing  facilities.  As  a  consequence, 
the  average  quality  of  housing  is  lowered,  the  drift  is  towards 
tenement  living,  slums,  and  overcrowding  in  a  few  rooms. 
Rented  individual  dwellings  present  many  social  advantages 
for  sound  family  life,  but  compared  to  tenements  they  have 
been  growing  less  profitable. 

Thus  a  variety  of  social  factors,  such  as  the  unrestricted 
private  ownership  and  uneven  distribution  of  land,  the  influx 
of  foreign  and  rural  population  to  industrial  centers,  racial 
and  class  gregariousness,  the  greed  of  landlords,  builders' 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  4^9 

ignorance  and  low  standards,  to  say  nothing  of  the  lack  of 
social  foresight,  are  responsible  for  the  haphazard,  incon- 
venient, ugly,  and  congested  housing. 

Inadequate  Housing  Means  Decreased  Production 

During  the  war,  conditions  forced  attention  to  the  funda- 
mental fact  that  inadequate  sleeping  facilities,  food,  mer- 
chandise, recreation,  and  everything  relating  to  family  and 
social  life  outside  of  working  hours,  put  a  limit  on  production 
in  the  factory  far  below  the  possible  maximum  capacity. 

Under  the  stress  of  urgent  production,  in  some  localities 
where  there  is  a  lack  of  housing  facilities,  boarders  and 
roomers  crowd  into  private  homes  and  families  double  up. 
Enterprising  boarding  and  lodging-house  keepers  provide  an 
extraordinary  quantity  of  bad  and  frequently  vicious  accom- 
modations by  herding  people  together  like  cattle.  One  of  the 
common  expedients  is  to  rent  the  same  bed  to  three  men  in 
successive  eight-hour  shifts.  One  family  with  eight  children, 
occupying  a  single  room  of  a  one-story  shanty,  kept  a  boarder 
in  the  corner.  These  are  among  the  methods  resorted  to  in 
the  absence  of  adequate  housing  accommodations. 

The  Relation  of  Housing  to  Turnover 

The  housing  of  workers  is  closely  bound  to  industry  itself. 
Proper  housing  facilites  is  one  of  the  problems  in  which  the 
employment  manager,  or  whatever  one  chooses  to  call  him, 
should  concern  himself.  It  is  particularly  difficult  to  retain 
skilled  men  under  bad  living  conditions,  and  skilled  men  are 
usually  the  steady,  self-respecting  sort,  generally  married  and 
with  families — the  strength  of  American  industrial  life.  The 
employment  manager,  therefore,  is  confronted  with  the  prob- 
lem of  housing  as  it  affects  the  labor  turnover. 

Boyd  Fisher  in  his  excellent  paper,  "Good  Housing  as  a 
Reducer  of  Labor  Turnover,"  says:  It  cannot  be  said  that 


420  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

poor  housing  is  the  principal  cause  of  labor  turnover.  Em- 
ployment methods  within  the  plant  will  primarily  control, 
whether  a  manufacturer  keeps  his  employees  or  not. 

Workmen  choose  their  employer  precisely  as  their  em- 
ployer chooses  them,  and  of  late  years  the  manufacturer  has 
learned  that  it  costs  him  money  when  workers  reject  him 
as  an  employer.  He  has  seen  the  need  of  being  an  efficient 
employer,  as  hitherto  he  has  insisted  upon  efficient  workers. 
He  has  come  to  examine  and  improve  the  methods  by  which 
the  workmen  get  on  the  pay-roll,  and  he  has  come  to  see 
the  necessity  of  making  more  clear  and  equitable  the  bargain 
he  makes  with  the  man  he  hires.  He  has  come  to  see  the 
need  of  improving  working  conditions  and  of  facilitating  the 
methods  by  which  the  worker  can  call,  from  time  to  time, 
for  re-examination  of  the  terms  of  the  bargain  and  improve- 
ment of  the  working  conditions.  It  cannot  be  too  strongly 
emphasized,  however,  that  housing  is  one  of  the  very  im- 
portant influences  bearing  upon  stability  of  employment. 

Investigation  has  amply  proved  that  even  the  most  ignorant 
of  workers  will  not  long  remain  in  uncomfortable  quarters. 
It  proves,  more  than  this — ^that  even  where  bad  housing  is 
general,  the  worker  will  move  from  one  job  to  another  in 
constant  search  for  improved  housing  conditions. 

As  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Fisher,  where  housing  accommoda- 
tions are  not  causing  trouble,  labor  turnover  seems  to  be  fairly 
low.  In  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  eleven  adjacently  situated 
plants,  with  an  average  normal  turnover  of  15  per  cent  a 
month,  suflfered  a  turnover  of  25  per  cent  when  housing 
conditions  became  unsatisfactory.  The  normal  turnover  of 
labor  on  Staten  Island  was  found  to  be  2  per  cent  a  month, 
but  during  the  crowded  war  period,  because  of  poor  housing 
and  transportation,  it  jumped  to  25  per  cent  a  month. 

Betterment  of  Housing  Conditions  by  Employees 

Since  it  is  established  that  bad  housing  is  a  causal  factor 
in  high  labor  turnover,  it  is  well  worth  while  inquiring  whether 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  4^1 

it  is  advisable  for  employers  to  better  this  condition  by  enter- 
prises of  their  own.  A  study  of  such  enterprises  already  made 
is  found  in  the  following  data  from  the  paper  referred  to. 

Two  separate  investigators,  Leslie  H.  Allen  and  Lei  fur 
Mangnusson,  addressed  circular  inquiries  to  a  number  of  com- 
panies, of  which  365  had  provided  adequate  housing  for  their 
employees.  The  testimony  was  fairly  unanimous  to  the  effect 
that  labor  turnover  was  materially  reduced. 

Significant  in  this  regard  is  the  proof  in  a  letter  received 
from  the  employment  management  of  a  company  employing 
large  numbers  of  negroes.  On  the  whole,  the  policy  of  this 
company  towards  its  negroes  is  based  upon  a  high  plane.  After 
careful  analysis  of  turnover  among  colored  workers  who  lived 
in  comfortable  houses  in  town  as  compared  to  the  turnover 
of  those  living  in  crude  camps  or  barracks  adjacent  to  the 
factory,  it  appeared  that  the  annual  percentage  of  turnover  in 
the  first  instance  was  only  107  per  cent  as  compared  with 
1,080  per  cent  per  year  in  the  latter  instance. 

Examples  of  the  Benefits  of  Good  Housing 

A  Pennsylvania  mill  has  some  very  positive  evidence  of 
the  cash  value  of  good  housing.    Their  manager  writes  us: 

*'Our  two  blast  furnaces  are  located  twenty  miles  apart, 
and  between  them  is  the  blast  furnace  of  a  rival  company. 
We  consider  our  housing  facilities  superior  to  theirs,  and 
to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  effect  of  this  would  state  that 
for  years  past  they  have  had  to  pay  more  per  day,  of  the 
same  number  of  hours,  for  all  of  the  men  they  employ 
around  their  plant.  Of  course,  the  wages  differ  for  different 
positions,  but  any  position  at  their  plant  pays  more  money 
than  a  corresponding  position  at  either  of  our  two  plants. 
Furthermore,  the  general  living  conditions  around  one  of  our 
own  plants  are  somewhat  better  than  the  other  and  in  view 
of  this  we  find  we  have  to  pay  a  differential  in  the  labor 
scale,  although  the  plants  are  only  twenty  miles  apart. 
Hardly  a  month  goes  by  that  we  do  not  get  some  man  to 
come  to  us  from  this  rival  firm,  or  rather  furnace,  stating 


422  THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 

that  the  reason  for  moving  is,  though  they  get  less  wages, 
the  housing  conditions  are  better  around  our  plants.  I  might 
say  that  while  we  have  not  got  the  exact  figures  for  com- 
parison, we  believe  our  labor  turnover  is  exceptionally  low 
compared  to  other  plants  in  the  same  line  of  business,  and 
we  find  the  difference  between  the  labor  turnover  at  our 
different  plants  bears  a  relation  to  the  desirability  of  the 
houses  and  living  conditions  at  the  respective  plants." 

Out  of  213  companies  investigated  by  Mr.  Mangnusson, 
180,  or  84.5  per  cent,  reported  on  the  nature  of  the  result 
obtained  from  their  ventures  in  housing.  Of  these,  175,  or 
97.3  per  cent,  set  the  result  as  satisfactory  both  to  the  em- 
ployees and  to  the  company,  and  only  5  said  that  the  results 
were  unsatisfactory,  or  not  positively  helpful. 

Good  Housing's  Advantages  Enumerated 

A  subject  classification  of  advantages  as  gleaned  from  this 
investigation  is  given  below,  the  number  of  firms  subscribing 
to  each  advantage  appearing  thereafter. 

Secures  better  class  of  workers 75 

Stabilizes  labor 47 

Secures  necessary  help 43 

Reduces  floaters 42 

Brings  about  improved  living  conditions 32 

Greater  loyalty 24 

Secures  more  contented  workers 24 

Secures  more  efficient  workers 17 

Better  control  of  labor  situation 9 

Better  standard  of  living 8 

Married  men  attracted 6 

Greater  regularity  of  employment 5 

A  better  house  for  the  workman  for  less  money 4 

Profitable  to  company 3 

Very  satisfactory 3 

Facilitate  part-time  3 

Value  in  advertising  company  and  keeping  it  favorably 

before  the  public i 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  4^3 

Apart  from  the  labor  turnover  feature,  and  from  the 
humanitarian  or  sentimental  side  of  the  question,  employers 
realize  that  inadequate  housing  hurts  production — ^that  un- 
hygienic and  unsanitary  housing  produces  unhealthy,  ineffi- 
cient, time-losing,  stupid,  and  troublesome  workmen. 

A  Social  Responsibility 

The  interest  of  employers  in  the  health  of  their  employees 
is  shown  in  factory  and  office  conveniences,  restaurants,  rest- 
rooms  and  hospitals,  drinking  fountains,  shower  baths,  and 
clubrooms.  In  view  of  the  attention  given  to  the  housing 
of  machines,  tools,  and  equipment,  could  not  employers  go  a 
step  further  and  give  the  same  attention  to  the  housing  of 
their  employees?  Many  employers  frankly  recognize  that  a 
social  responsibility  rests  upon  them,  that  it  is  incumbent  upon 
them  to  start  the  ball  rolling  and  open  the  way  for  the  workers 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  secure  decent  living 
quarters. 

In  fact,  employers  do  not  find  houses  springing  up  around 
their  plants  without  any  effort  on  their  part.  Even  in  large 
cities  they  have  had  to  combine  to  raise  the  necessary  capital 
to  remedy  the  housing  situation. 

The  Employee  Not  to  Assume  Full  Control 

The  solution  of  the  housing  problem  depends  largely  on 
circumstances  and  local  conditions.  A  civic  association,  a 
contractor  of  good  repute,  the  municipality  or  state,  a  building 
and  loan  society,  or  chamber  of  commerce  may  finance  the 
undertaking;  or  the  employer  must  furnish  the  funds  himself, 
either  wholly  or  in  part.  But,  except  under  extraordinary 
conditions,  it  is  a  false  and  discredited  theory  that  leads  the 
employer  to  monopolize  the  home-building  and  renting  situa- 
tion and  to  assume  exclusive  control   without  taking  into 


424  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

account  the  factor  of  human  choice,  the  likes  and  dislikes, 
the  financial  ability,  and  the  prejudices  and  fancies  of  em- 
ployees. 

A  good  example  of  the  error  committed  when  the  employer 
builds  and  rents  the  houses  may  be  seen  in  almost  any  small 
mill  town  of  the  South  or  New  England.  A  few  years  back, 
the  accepted  plan  was  for  the  company  to  erect  a  number  of 
houses  or  tenements  exactly  alike  (even  to  the  wallpaper  and 
the  color  of  paint  on  the  outside),  set  in  rows,  and  to  rent 
them  to  the  employees  at  such  a  low  figure  that  the  difference 
in  rent  was  supposed  to  be  accepted  as  part  of  the  wages  paid. 
The  whole  scheme  was  a  vicious  circle,  making  for  the 
retrogression  of  the  employee  and  his  family,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  architectural  blot  that  was  inflicted  upon  the  town.  It 
was  simply  a  matter  of  wrong  ideals  prevailing  in  that  period. 

A  Throwback  to  Colonial  Days 

Perhaps  it  was  a  natural  development  from  the  early 
days  of  the  colonial  manufacturer  who  established  his  mill 
where  water  power  was  available,  and  by  force  of  necessity 
had  to  provide  accommodations  for  the  labor  which  he  brought 
there.  Industrial  housing,  as  represented  by  this  circumstance, 
dates  back  to  the  early  days;  one  such  project  is  recorded  as 
having  been  set  up  in  Delaware  as  early  as  1831. 

Even  today,  in  obscure,  isolated  places,  such  as  mining 
sections  and  lumber  camps,  the  company  must  erect  practically 
an  entire  community,  installing  sewer,  water,  and  lighting 
systems,  as  well  as  building  houses  and  other  structures.  But 
as  the  community  grows  and  the  population  increases,  such 
corporation  endeavors  become  unnecessary,  for  they  foster 
monopoly  and  breed  dissatisfaction  among  the  workers,  who 
have  been  rendered  voiceless  in  the  question  of  rents  and  the 
choice  of  homes. 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  4^5 

Extremes  in  Company-Controlled  Towns 

There  is  a  desire  on  the  part  of  some  large  corporations 
to  surrender  the  distinctly  community  functions  to  the  inde- 
pendent control  of  the  community  itself.  A  model  mine  town 
in  the  soft  coal  region  of  Pennsylvania  was  erected  from  the 
ground  up  by  the  employing  company  and  about  a  year  or 
two  later  was  turned  over  to  the  community  after  the  in- 
habitants had  voted  for  the  incorporation.  Another  employer, 
a  steel  company,  left  it  to  the  employees  to  place  restrictions 
upon  the  property,  but  only  a  building  line  restriction  was 
established,  and  conditions  reverted  to  a  state  of  disorder  and 
untidiness.  Thus  there  are  absolutely  controlled  company 
towns  where  conditions  are  ideal,  and  others  where  conditions 
are  disreputable. 

The  Problem  from  the  Employer's  Side 

How  then  may  the  obligation  the  employer  is  acknowledged 
to  hold  to  his  employee  in  this  respect  best  be  expressed?  In 
order  to  answer  this  question,  the  employer  should  inquire 
deeply  into  his  own  problems;  he  should  investigate  to  what 
extent  his  business  success  depends  upon  a  correction  of  exist- 
ing housing  accommodations;  he  should  find  out  how,  under 
existing  conditions,  the  necessary  funds  for  such  an  enterprise 
can  be  provided,  and  to  what  extent  the  worker  can  afford 
to  enter  the  field  of  real  estate  investment.  The  housing  plan 
would  fall  short  of  its  object  were  it  not  made  possible  for 
the  worker  to  own  as  well  as  rent  the  sort  of  place  that  appeals 
to  him. 

A  questionnaire,  such  as  the  following  prepared  by  Arthur 
F.  Clough,  will  assist  in.  clarifying  the  subject  for  the  employer 
who  is  interested  in  industrial  housing : 

1.  Is  there  no  other  solution  for  the  housing  situation  in  this  com- 

munity ? 

2.  Can  householders  be  induced  to  lower  rents,  convert  residences 


426  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

into  two-family  or  tenement  houses,  offer  reasonable  board,  or 
take  other  steps  to  encourage  the  desirable  stranger  to  settle 
here  permanently? 

3.  Can  contractors,   real   estate  operators,  or  others  be   induced  to 

build  and  sell  houses  at  a  more  reasonable  cost  in  this  com- 
munity ? 

4.  What  are  the  financial  resources  of  our  workers  and  other  workers 

in  this  locality? 

5.  Can  they  afford  to  purchase  homes  on  their  present  wages,  or 

must  we  raise  salaries  to  enable  them  to  do  this? 

6.  Which,  of  various  types  of  workers,  have  most  difficulty  in  obtain- 

ing proper  housing,  and  which  are  most  apt  to  purchase  homes? 

7.  On  what  terms  can  they  afford  to  pay  for  them? 

8.  Will  they  keep  up  their  payments? 

9.  If  they  cannot  keep  up  payments  on  the  purchase  of  homes,  would 

it  be  advisable  to  build  houses  for  rental  purposes  only? 

10.  Can  we  sell  our  houses  at  cost  or  must  we  make  a  reasonable 

profit  on  the  enterprise  to  provide  against  possible  future  loss? 

11.  Are  we  taking  this  step  co-operatively  with  our  employees  because 

we  think  it  will  be  of  mutual  benefit? 

12.  If  not,  what  do  we  expect  to  get  out  of  our  investment? 

13.  Will  it  bring  us  a  more  desirable  class  of  help? 

14.  Will  it  tend  to  reduce  our  labor  turnover? 

15.  Will  the  project  savor  of  charity  or  paternalism? 

16.  Will  it  increase  the  standing  and  good  name  of  our  organization? 

17.  Will  the  probable  return,  as  a  whole,  be  worth  the  investment? 

18.  Are  our  workers  naturally  gregarious  or  individual? 

19.  In  view  of  our  answer  to  the  foregoing  question,  what  sort  of 

housing  would  sell  best? 

20.  How  many  tenement  houses  will  we  need  at  the  start? 

21.  How  many  two-family  houses  and  cottages? 

22.  How  many,  if  any,  apartment  houses? 

23.  What  will  be  the  average  cost  of  each  of  the  respective  types? 

24.  Have  we  any  land  available  for  housing  purposes  or  must  we 

purchase  some? 

25.  In  what  condition  is  the  land  and  how  extensively  must  it  be 

improved  by  grading,   sewers,   sidewalks,   etc.,   before   it   will 
meet  with  our  requirements? 

26.  What  improvements  are  absolutely  essential  to  start  our  project? 

27.  What  will  these  improvements  cost? 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  427 

28.  Does  the  natural  contour  of  the  land  lend  itself  readily  to  any 

desired  future  expansion? 

29.  Are  our  plans  extensive  enough  to  provide  for  this  growth? 

30.  What  is  the  approximate  aggregate  cost  of  the  project? 

31.  What  is  the  general  public  opinion  about  the  desirability  of  this 

location  as  a  residential  section? 
2i2.  Is  the  property  apt  to  appreciate  or  depreciate  in  the  course  of 
time? 

33.  Are  we  going  to  limit  the  sale  of  houses  to  our  employees  or 

will  we  take  in  desirable  outsiders  also? 

34.  In  view  of  our  answers  to  questions  7  and  33,  what  is  the  best 

selling  plan? 

35.  Does  this  plan  tie  up  our  money  for  long  periods  of  time? 

36.  Is   that   advisable   and   can   we    rest   assured   that   our  business 

growth  or  unexpected  emergencies,  calling  for  cash  capital,  will 
not  make  it  necessary  for  us  to  realize  on  a  portion  or  all  of 
this  investment  suddenly  and  at  a  loss? 

37.  How  can  we  protect  ourselves  against  such  a  contingency? 

38.  Last — and  most  important  of  all — how  and  where  will  we  get 

the  funds  to  finance  this  project  so  that  the  maximum  amount 
of  building  may  be  done  with  a  small  amount  of  capital,  and 
the  investment  so  made  that  the  time  our  money  is  tied  up  in 
any  single  enterprise  be  reduced  to  the  minimum? 

Housing  and  the  Employment  Manager 

In  the  deUberations  that  attend  the  employer's  investiga- 
tion, the  personnel  man  may  be  of  assistance,  his  special  atten- 
tion being  directed  toward  an  analysis  of  the  types  of  workers 
who  will  buy,  and  their  choice  in  the  types  of  houses  to  be 
projected.  One  large  New  England  concern,  which  built  up 
an  ideal  community  for  its  employees  several  years  ago,  has 
found  difficulty  in  disposing  of  the  double  or  two-family  type 
of  house.  Although  the  personnel  of  their  organization  is 
exceptional,  they  found  that  most  of  their  employees  were 
reluctant  to  purchase  half  of  a  two-family  house  for  fear  of 
being  forced  into  undue  familiarity  with  the  purchasers  of 
the  other  half.  As  a  consequence  this  type  of  construction  has 
been  practically  abandoned. 


428  THE  HUMAN  ELEMENT 

Important  Factors  in  the  Problem 

The  employment  manager  may  even  assume  a  large  share 
of  the  whole  enterprise,  since  he  is  the  medium  through  which 
the  company  works  in  most  of  its  dealings  with  the  employees. 
In  this  event,  he  must  familiarize  himself  first  with  industrial 
housing  fundamentals,  and  it  is  not  amiss  at  this  stage  of 
the  discussion  to  array  the  facts  before  him,  enumerating  the 
principles  that  are  recognized  as  requisite  in  furthering  the 
best  possible  plan.  First  and  foremost  there  are  certain  out- 
standing factors  to  be  recognized: 

1.  What  adequate  housing  involves. 

2.  Housing  essentials. 

3.  Race  and  class  distinction. 

4.  Returns  on  investment. 

5.  Right  sort  of  contract. 

6.  Payments  and  finance. 

I.     What  Adequate  Housing  Involves 
Adequate  housing  involves: 

1.  Shelter,   protection   from  wind,   rain,  snow,  ground, 

moisture,  excessive  cold  and  heat. 

2.  Sanitation:  arrangement  for  sunlight,  fresh  air,  and 
'   pure  water,  heating  and  cleaning  of  the  house  of  its 

various  wastes. 

3.  Provision  for  the  family  life:  separate  sleeping-rooms 

for  parents  and  for  the  children  of  different  sexes ; 
and  the  common  rooms,  such  as  the  living-room, 
dining-room,  and  kitchen,  arranged  and  equipped 
with  a  view  to  comfort  and  efficiency,  even  esthetic 
pleasure  ("be  it  ever  so  humble")  in  the  house  itself 
and  its  surroundings. 

These  requirements  of  adequacy  are  simply  the  minimum 
without  which  one  should  not  be  satisfied.     Healthfulness  has 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  4^9 

been  commonly,  though  not  yet  fully,  recognized  as  a  require- 
ment; happiness,  or  a  chance  for  happiness,  is  still  wrongly 
thought  of  as  a  luxury  without  which  one  may  yet  lead  a 
profitable  life. 

2.     Housing  Essentials 

The  following  list  of  housing  essentials  is  quoted  from 
Leslie  H.  Allen. 

The  essentials   of  a   modern  city   house  may  be  SHm- 
marized  as  follows: 

Watertight  roof,  walls,  and  floors. 

Bedroom  for  parents. 

Bedroom  for  male  children. 

Bedroom  for  female  children. 

Living-room  for  cooking,  eating,  and  general  day  use. 

Private  toilet  room  with  sanitary  water-closet  and  sewer 

connection. 
Suitable  heating  arrangement. 
Running  water  supply  for  drinking. 
Uninterrupted   daylight   and   ventilation   through   win- 
dows in  every  room. 
Sink  in  kitchen,  with  running  water  and  waste. 
Further  additions  required  by  the  American  family  and 
considered  necessary  by  them : 
Cellars 
Closets 

Bathtub  with  running  water 
Window  screens 
Separate  parlor 

Desirable  improvements  which  usually  are  added: 
Porches  and  piazzas 
Lavatory  bowl 

Hot-water  supply  to  bath  and  bowl 
Window  shades 
Window  blinds 

Dining-room  separate  from  parlor  or  kitchen 
Electric  lighting  or  gas  piping 
Wallpaper 
Latmdry  tubs 


430  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

The  various  types  of  dwellings  now  in  use  are  as  follows; 

1.  Single  houses  of  five  to  seven  rooms. 

2.  Two-family  houses  of  four  to  seven  rooms. 

3.  Terrace  or  row  houses  of  four  rooms  and  up. 

4.  Apartment  houses  or  tenements,  two  rooms  and  up. 

5.  Boarding-houses  for  single  men. 

6.  Hotels. 


3.  Race  and  Class  Distinction 

Even  in  these  days  of  democracy,  class  feeling  is  not 
altogether  extinguished.  It  finds  an  outlet  in  home-building 
as  frequently  as  elsewhere.  The  executive  making  $5,000 
per  year  wants  a  better  home  than,  and  in  a  different  loca- 
tion than  the  laborer,  because  his  means  will  permit  of  some- 
thing better.  As  a  rule,  distinction  must  also  be  allowed  for 
among  the  homes  of  the  clerical  help,  the  skilled  workmen, 
and  unskilled  labor. 

In  the  matter  of  race  restrictions,  negro  families  prefer 
to  reside  apart;  the  same  is  true  in  less  degree  of  immigrant 
families  of  certain  nationalities. 

The  type  and  quality  of  material  and  selling  price  must 
be  adapted  to  the  means  of  the  purchaser,  which  of  itself 
presupposes  divergent  types  and  locations. 

4.  Returns  on  Housing  Investment 

Weighing  seriously  the  question  of  returns  on  an  indus- 
trial housing  project,  there  is  no  question  that,  if  properly 
administered,  the  financial  return  is  sufficient  of  itself  to  be 
attractive.  Yet  the  greatest  return  the  manufacturer  will  get 
from  his  investment  will  lie  in  the  increased  contentment  of 
his  workers,  the  reduction  of  labor  turnover,  and  the  building 
up  of  his  good  name  as  an  employer.  Intangible  as  these 
values  are,  and  difficult  as  it  may  be  to  fix  even  an  approximate 
value  upon  them,  it  can  be  said  that  such  enterprises  in  the 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  43 1 

main  have  proved  highly  successful  from  the  standpoint  of 
such  returns  alone,  ignoring  the  financial  risks. 

5.     The  Right  Sort  of  Contract 

In  determining  upon  the  right  sort  of  contract  between 
the  company  and  the  employee,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  purchaser  fears  he  may  be  so  rigidly  bound  to  the 
concern  as  to  make  it  virtually  impossible  for  him  to  make 
a  desirable  change  without  considerable  financial  loss;  so  the 
contract  should  be  made  flexible  enough  to  permit  him  to 
dispose  of  his  equity  at  a  fair  price  and  within  a  reasonable 
time  when  necessary.  At  the  same  time,  the  contract  should 
be  sufficiently  rigid  to  prevent  his  quitting  on  a  whim  or 
slight  pretext.  When  so  drawn  up,  the  contract  is  a  source 
of  good  feeling  on  both  sides;  it  inspires  confidence  on  the 
part  of  the  employee  in  the  whole  housing  propositions  and 
relieves  the  employer  from  any  suspicion  of  tdterior  motives 
toward  his  men. 

The  Goodyear  Company  Plan 

The  Goodyear  Company  in  their  work  at  Akron,  plan  to 
place  two  mortgages  on  the  property.  The  first  mortgage 
is  for  about  one-half  the  value  of  the  property,  and  is  carried 
by  an  insurance  company.  The  second  mortgage  is  carried 
by  the  Goodyear  Company,  and  covers  the  balance  of  the 
purchase  price.  It  is  not  necessary  to  make  any  payment 
down  when  the  property  is  purchased.  Payments  are  made 
semimonthly,  which  takes  care  of  the  second  mortgage  in 
twelve  years  and  the  first  mortgage  in  three  years  more, 
the  rate  of  interest  being  6  per  cent  per  annum.  These  periods 
are  the  maximum  time  allowed  to  pay  for  the  property,  but 
provision  is  made  to  allow  extra  payments  to  be  made  if 
desired,  as  well  as  preliminary  payments  down.  The 
purchaser  has  the  option  of  taking  a  diminishing  life  in- 
surance with  the  insurance  company,  which,  in  the  event  of 
his  death,  will  pay  one  or  both  of  the  mortgages,  depending 


432  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

upon  the  amount  of  insurance  taken.  The  insurance  com- 
pany have  made  an  attractive  group  insurance  proposition, 
which  brings  down  the  cost  of  this  feature  to  a  very  low 
figure,  and  have  made  the  purchasing  plan  very  popular. 

It  is  generally  found  that  the  workmen  are  willing  to 
purchase  quite  high-priced  houses  if  the  way  is  made  easy 
for  them  by  one  of  the  methods  outlined  above. 

It  is  advisable  to  retain  an  option  on  the  property  where 
it  is  sold  to  the  workmen,  providing  for  the  repurchase  of 
the  house  by  the  company  if  the  workman  wishes  to  leave, 
some  method  being  set  up  for  the  valuation  of  depreciation, 
etc.  It  seems  only  fair  that  any  unearned  increment  should 
pass  to  the  company  and  not  be  retained  by  the  workman, 
as  otherwise  he  is  encouraged  to  speculate  in  real  estate 
to  the  disadvantage  of  the  factory-owner. 

It  is  very  necessary  that  proper  restrictions  be  placed 
on  the  use  of  the  property  and  the  construction  of  poultry 
houses,  stables,  garages,  etc. 

After  a  man  has  been  working  hard  for  twelve  years 
or  more  to  pay  off  the  cost  of  his  home,  it  is  likely  that 
he  will  have  gained  habits  of  industry  and  thrift  which  will 
stay  with  him,  and  the  man  will  become  a  permanent  asset 
to  the  plant.  While  he  has  been  paying  for  his  home  the 
tie  between  him  and  the  plant  has  been  one  that  he  has 
not  resented  or  felt  that  the  owner  is  to  blame  for.  Many 
owners  have  come  to  think  that  the  system  of  selling  houses 
is  proving  to  be  the  best  method  of  securing  a  contented 
body  of  employees  around  the  plant. 

It  will  always  be  found  that  very  many  of  the  employees, 
however,  are  not  inclined  to  purchase,  either  because  they 
are  less  thrifty,  or  because,  for  one  reason  or  another,  the 
ownership  of  house  property  does  not  appeal  to  them,  and 
houses  for  rent  must  be  provided  for  them. 

Some  real  estate  companies  operating  on  a  large  scale 
have  adopted  a  rebate  system  by  which,  if  the  tenant  keeps 
his  house  in  good  repair  and  pays  his  rent  promptly  for 
eleven  months,  he  is  not  required  to  pay  the  twelfth  month's 
rent.  If  at  the  end  of  eleven  months  any  interior  repairs 
are  required,  or  if  payments  for  repairs  have  been  made 
by  the  company  during  this  period,  the  tenant  pays  for  these 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING  433 

repairs  out  of  his  rebate,  and  whatever  balance  remains 
out  of  his  month's  rent  is  remitted,  but  if  the  cost  of  the 
repairs  exceeds  the  month's  rent  the  difference  is  paid  to 
the  owner.  This  is,  of  course,  an  inducement  to  the  tenant 
to  take  care  of  his  property  and  not  vacate  a  place  when 
the  period  for  rebate  is  approaching. 

The  Ideal  Plan 

In  considering  various  methods  of  housing,  it  will  be 
found  that  there  are  desirable  features  in  many,  but  that 
no  one  combines  enough  of  these  features  to  make  it  the 
ideal  plan.  In  developing  this  ideal  method,  however,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  laws,  conditions,  and  requirements 
vary  in  different  communities.  Therefore,  all  that  can  be 
done  is  to  suggest  the  points  considered  most  essential  and 
leave  it  to  the  promoter  of  the  project  to  adapt  it  to  his 
particular  needs. 

Primarily,  the  housing  problem  is  of  interest  to  every 
right-minded  citizen  and  the  expense  of  such  a  project  in 
any  given  community  should  be  shared  by: 

1.  The  industrial  interests. 

2.  The  city  government. 

3.  The  business  organizations. 

4.  Contractors  who   reap  a  profit  on   the  construction 

work. 

5.  Business  men  and  other  public  spirited  citizens. 

6.  The  working  classes  themselves,  who  derive  direct 

benefit  from  such  activities. 
With  an  appreciation  of  this  fact  and  the  right  sort  of 
campaign,  the  manufacturer  will  find  here  a  ready  source  of 
funds  to  supplement  his  own  capital  in  the  promotion  of 
building  operations.  In  order  to  harmonize  all  the  various 
investing  elements  to  which  he  must  appeal,  he  may  find  it 
advisable  to  proceed  in  the  following  order: 

The  Plan  in  Detail 

First,  he  should  take  the  matter  up  with  the  other  indus- 
trial interests  of  the  community  and  endeavor  to  combine 


434  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

their  financial  resources  to  mutual  advantage  in  the  promo- 
tion of  Wter  housing. 

Second,  if  several  can  be  found  who  agree  on  this  need, 
even  though  the  building  operations  aie  to  be  scattered  in 
various  parts  of  the  city,  they  should  get  together  and  form 
a  co-operative  housing  association,  designed  to  erect,  rent, 
or  sell  low-cost  houses  on  easy  terms  to  the  workers  of  the 
community. 

Third,  efforts  should  also  be  made  to  interest  the  other 
investing  factors  of  the  community  in  the  order  given  above. 

Fourth,  the  charter  of  the  association  should  be  carefully 
drawn  up  so  as  to  embody  as  many  desirable  features  as 
possible.  In  considering  the  nature  of  this  charter  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  association  is  not  formed  primarily 
as  a  profit-making  institution,  but  that  all  of  its  shareholders 
have  an  equality  of  interest  which  entitled  them  to  share 
equally  in  all  its  benefits. 

Fifth,  the  type  of  organization  which  best  meets  these 
requirements  is  apparently  a  combination  of  the  old  joint- 
stock  company  and  the  more  modern  corporation,  embodying 
the  most  desirable  features  of  the  joint-stock  organization, 
yet  also  deriving  the  benefits  which  come  from  incorporation. 
Under  this  plan,  we  have  a  joint-stock  corporation,  wherein 
an  indeterminate  number  of  individuals  voluntarily  associate 
for  the  purpose  of  providing  capital  for  a  given  enterprise, 
the  capital  being  divided  into  transferable  shares,  ownership 
of  which  is  a  condition  of  membership. 

Its  Advantages 

The  essential  advantages  of  this  form  of  organization 
would  be  as  follows: 

1.  There  is  an  equality  of  interest. 

2.  It  is  not  run  for  a  profit. 

3.  The  capital  stock  is  divided  into  equal  shares. 

4.  These  are  readily  transferable  and  transfers  can  be 

made  without  the  consent  of  the  other  members. 

5.  The  possession  of  a  given  number  of  shares  indicates 

the  owner's  part  in  the  income   (dividends  or  in- 
terest) of  the  enterprise. 


INDUSTRIAL   HOUSING  435 

6.  All  share  in  the  benefits  proportionately,  since  there 

is  no  preferred  nor  cumulative  preferred  stock. 

7.  The  element  of  incorporation  removes  the  individual 

liability  or  financial  risk  by  giving  the  body  an 
impersonal  standing,  thus  protecting  as  far  as  pos- 
sible the  interests  of  the  small  investor. 

8.  This  form  of  organization  results  in  greater  financial 

stability,  since  the  interests  of  all  are  equally  bound 
up  in  it,  thereby  carrying  a  stronger  appeal  to  the 
investor. 

9.  The  sale  of  a  large  number  of  transferable  shares 

permits  of  a  wide  distribution  of  the  expense  of 
the  project,  while  the  flexibility  of  stock  transfer 
gives  the  fluidity  desired  to  protect  the  interests  of 
all  at  all  times. 

10.  It  provides  the  principle  of  association,  not  only  to 

capital  but  also  to  management,  for  the  investors 
can  elect  directors  or  a  board  of  management  to 
conduct  the  operations  and  administer  the  collective 
property  of  the  corporation. 

11.  Stock  can  be  exchanged  for  an  equity  in  the  property 

of  the  corporation. 

12.  Future  growth  and  its  consequent  necessity  for  an 

increased  capitalization  can  be  taken  care  of  in 
two  ways — either  by  a  reorganization  of  the  cor- 
poration, or,  if  so  provided  in  the  charter,  by  a 
majority  vote  of  the  stockholders  to  issue  addi- 
tional capital  stock  to  the  amount  required.  If  it 
is  desired  to  insure  still  further  against  overcapi- 
talization or  stock  manipulation  for  profit  by  the 
management,  each  stockholder  can  be  limited  to 
but  one  vote,  irrespective  of  the  number  of  shares 
owned.  This  would  be  apt  to  prove  objectionable, 
however,  in  communities  where  the  stock  is  held 
by  some  hundreds  or  thousands  of  investors,  owing 
to  its  unwieldiness  and  the  difficulty  of  convincing 
many  uninformed  investors  of  the  necessity  of  in- 
creased capitalization. 
Sixth,  bearing  in  mind  the  desirability  of  making  an 
investment  as  stable  and  attractive  as  possible  to  all  investors. 


436 


THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 


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INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING 


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438  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

and  having  determined  the  extent  and  cost  of  the  proposed 
initial  housing  operations,  it  would  be  necessary  to  fix  the 
annual  returns  required  to  pay  a  fair  dividend  to  the  in- 
vestors, to  take  care  of  taxes,  upkeep,  and  operating  expenses 
and  have  enough  left  to  go  toward  a  surplus  or  reserve  fund. 

Limitations  upon  Annual  Dividends 

Definite  limitations  should  be  set  upon  the  annual 
dividends  and  in  most  cases,  if  houses  are  to  be  sold  at 
cost,  they  should  be  ranged  from  5  to  7  per  cent  of  the 
amount  subscribed.  Added  to  this,  of  course,  is  sufficient 
percentage  to  take  care  of  the  reserve  fund,  taxes,  etc. 
Any  surplus  left  over  from  taxes,  maintenance,  etc.,  should 
go  into  the  reserve  fund  at  the  end  of  the  year.  Local 
conditions  will  influence  the  total  returns,  but  ordinarily  they 
will  range  from  9  to  14  per  cent  of  the  total  paid-in  stock, 
annually. 

Once  the  foregoing  figures  are  determined,  it  will  be 
comparatively  simple  to  figure  out  the  basis  on  which  proper- 
ties can  be  sold.  In  most  cases,  the  plan  outlined  will  prove 
satisfactory,  that  is,  a  certain  percentage  as  a  cash  payment 
at  the  time  of  purchase,  and  a  sufficient  monthly  percentage 
payment  to  take  care  of  the  dividends,  maintenance,  etc.,  and 
reserve  funds.  Payments  on  the  principal  are  taken  care  of 
by  obligating  the  purchaser  to  take  out  shares  in  a  co- 
operative bank.  If  the  prospective  purchaser  is  unable  to 
make  the  required  initial  payment  at  the  time  of  purchase, 
he  is  permitted  to  purchase  shares  in  the  association  from 
time  to  time,  these  shares  being  of  small  denomination,  and 
as  soon  as  their  valuation  equals  the  initial  payment  on  the 
property  desired,  they  are  turned  over  to  the  association  in 
lieu  of  money.  Thus  he  is  encouraged  to  save,  is  given  an 
interest  in  the  project,  and  gets  a  better  return  than  the 
banks  would  pay  on  his  savings  while  he  is  waiting  until 
he  has  accumulated  a  large  enough  amount  to  take  care  of 
the  purchase  payment  on  the  property  he  desires. 

Opportunity  for  the  Workers 

Under  such  a  plan,  the  worker  purchasing  a  home  can 
continue  to  invest  his  surplus  savings  in  the  project  and  get 


INDUSTRIAL  HOUSING     •  439 

a  better  return  from  it  than  he  could  elsewhere.  Since  in 
the  case  of  skilled  and  well-paid  workers  the  payments  on 
his  property  would  not  ordinarily  utilize  all  he  could  spare 
from  his  pay  envelope,  his  familiarity  with  the  project  would 
make  such  an  investment  more  attractive  than  placing  money 
in  a  bank  at  3  or  4  per  cent  interest. 

Appeal  to  the  municipal  government  and  other  investors 
could  also  be  made  on  the  ground  that  the  successful  com- 
pletion of  such  a  housing  enterprise  would  enhance  property 
values  and  increase  the  amount  of  taxable  property.  The 
city  revenue  would  be  increased,  the  industrial  interests  of 
the  community  developed,  and  work  for  more  citizens  pro- 
vided, thus  enlarging  the  volume  of  business  done  by 
merchants  and  others,  and  transforming  into  substantial 
citizens  many  workers  whose  stay  in  the  community  would 
otherwise  be  brief.  It  would  hold  an  appeal  to  the  moneyed 
class  because  it  would  be  a  comparatively  safe  investment, 
its  assets  tangible  ones  and  largely  indestructible,  ai!d  the 
returns  on  money  invested  assured  and  as  large  as  could 
reasonably  be  expected  when  the  element  of  risk  is  practically 
eliminated. 

The  foregoing  plan  is  not  perfect,  of  course,  yet  it  pro- 
vides a  means  of  obtaining  the  necessary  capital  to  finance 
housing  operations  and  to  do  so  without  the  delay  which 
would  attend  an  endeavor  to  enlist  municipal,  state,  or 
federal  aid.  Ultimately  the  federal  government  may  have 
to  take  a  hand  in  the  housing  operations  of  congested  com- 
munities where  the  housing  accommodations  are  inadequate. 
Private  capital,  or  even  capital  raised  by  public  subscription, 
is  not  always  obtainable  quickly  enough  to  alleviate  condi- 
tions. 

Summarizing  Mr.  Clough*s  discussion,  there  is  submitted 
in  tabulated  form  (Figure  95)  all  the  salient  points  to  be 
considered  in  planning  and  financing  the  industrial  housing 
project. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY 

Need  of  New  Relations  Between  Worker  and  Employer 

The  right  of  the  worker  to  have  a  voice  in  the  determina- 
tion of  his  wages,  hours,  working  conditions,  and  so  on,  is 
very  widely  recognized  today.  Heretofore  he  has  attempted 
to  take  that  share  through  the  agency  of  the  union,  by  means 
of  which  he  has  attempted  to  force  his  demands  on  his  em- 
ployer. The  employer  has  very  often  retaliated  in  kind ;  and 
hence  industrial  problems  have  been,  and  are  still  to  a  great 
extent,  left  to  the  arbitrament  of  a  trial  of  strength. 

Yet  the  ultimate  good  for  both  capital  and  labor  is  at  the 
end  of  the  same  road.  Knowing  this,  many  employers  have 
sought  means  of  constructing  normal  channels  through  which 
the  workmen  might  express  their  desires  concerning  wages, 
hours,  etc.,  so  that  industrial  disputes  might  be  settled  by 
the  principle  of  honesty,  rather  than  by  the  principle  that 
''might  is  right." 

Efforts  to  Bring  About  This  "Relation" 

In  the  effort  to  carry  out  this  new  idea,  various  forms 
of  employee  representation  have  been  adopted.  By  the  end 
of  19 1 9,  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  plants  in  the  United 
States  had  in  use  some  form  of  works  committee,  or  other 
type  of  * 'industrial  democracy." 

Arbitration  Boards 

Arbitration  boards  are  an  inseparable  feature  from  the 
question  of  industrial  democracy.     Their  object  is  to  insure 

440 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  44^ 

justice  in  the  administration  of  the  work  of  the  plant,  to 
act  on  dismissals,  changes  in  positions,  wages,  transfers, 
promotions,  and  questions  regarding  the  justice  of  decisions 
of  a  superior. 

This  board  of  arbitration,  or  whatever  else  it  may  be  termed, 
should  be  elective  so  far  as  the  workers  are  concerned — those 
who  represent  the  management  should  be  appointed.  It  may- 
serve  either  for  a  specified  period  or  it  may  be  named  specially 
to  consider  each  case  as  it  comes  up.  At  all  times  the  employ- 
ment manager  should  be  an  active  factor  in  the  scheme,  for 
he  will  be  thoroughly  familiar  with  all  points,  having 
thoroughly  reviewed  each  case  in  an  endeavor  to  solve  the 
trouble. 

The  arrangement  as  to  selection  of  members  will  vary  with 
individual  concerns,  but  the  principle  requires  that  each  side 
be  given  a  voice. 

Rendering  Decisions 

The  following  means  of  rendering  decisions  are  made: 

1.  In  a  case  of  dismissal,  or  when  an  increase  of  pay 

has  been  questioned,  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  board 
should  be  necessary  for  a  decision. 

2.  In  all  other  cases  a  majority  vote  may  decide,  or  the 

chairman  may   appoint   a   subcommittee   of   three 
members  to  act  as  an  arbitration  committee. 

3.  The  decision  reached  by  such  a  subcommittee  may  be 

appealed  by  the  one  concerned,  to  the  whole  board. 
A  majority  decision  by  this  committee  is  final. 

Scope  of  the  Board 

This  board  should  conduct  an  exhaustive  inquiry  into  each 
case  that  comes  before  it.  Its  power  should  extend  to  all 
differences  that  arise  between  the  employee  and  his  superior 


442  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

officer,  and  the  decision  should  be  final  for  all  cases  arising 
within  its  jurisdiction.  The  findings  of  the  board  should  be 
recorded  for  future  reference,  but  should  be  kept  confidential. 
It  might  reconsider  a  case  upon  appeal,  if  an  appeal  is  made. 
The  following  means  of  rendering  decisions  are  suggested: 

Responsibilities  of  Arbitration  Board 

The  board  of  arbitration,  wherever  instituted,  should 
assume  the  responsibilities  of  verifying  every  cause  for  dis- 
missal before  allowing  discharges  of  any  kind  to  be  made. 
It  will  thus  be  an  added  check  to  the  authority  of  the  employ- 
ment manager,  who  otherwise,  in  conjunction  with  the  fore- 
men, has  to  render  final  decision  on  controversial  matters 
concerning  workmen. 

The  board  should  meet  at  least  once  a  month,  if  not  once 
a  week,  to  discuss  and  consider  pending  cases.  Cases  requir- 
ing immediate  attention  or  action  should  be  considered  before 
a  standing  committee  specially  appointed  by  the  chairman. 

In  one  plant  where  such  a  board  has  been  in  vogue  for 
some  time,  it  is  found  that  of  the  many  decisions  rendered, 
half  of  them  have  been  in  favor  of  the  firm  and  half  in  favor 
of  the  appellants.  The  Standard  Oil  Company  carries  this 
thought  into  practice  through  a  plan  known  as  "right  of  ap- 
peal."   A  brief  outline  of  this  plan  follows: 

Standard  Oil  Company — Right  of  Appeal 

Any  employee  who  feels  that  he  has  been  unjustly  treated 
or  subjected  to  any  unfair  conditions,  has  the  right  of 
appeal  to  the  general  superintendent  and  the  higher  officials 
of  the  company,  provided  he  shall  first  seek  to  have  the 
matter  adjusted  by  conference,  in  person  or  through  his 
regularly  elected  representative,  with  the  foreman  or  the 
employment  department. 

Before  such  appeal  shall  be  taken  to  any  official  not 
located  at  the  plant,  it  shall  first  be  considered  in  a  joint 
conference  composed  of  the  employees'   representatives  in 


INDUSTRIAL   DEMOCRACY  443 

the  division  affected  and  an  equal  number  of  representatives 
of  the  company.  In  case  such  conference  fails  to  agree 
unanimously  as  to  a  fair  adjustment,  an  appeal  may  be  made 
to  the  executive  council  at  the  works,  or  in  case  such  a 
council  has  not  been  organized,  to  a  conference  composed 
of  all  of  the  employees'  representatives  at  the  works  together 
with  an  equal  number  of  company  representatives. 

Future  wage  adjustment  shall  be  made  in  joint  conferences 
between  the  employees'  representatives  in  the  division 
affected  and  representatives  of  the  company,  such  adjust- 
ments to  be  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  board  of  directors. 

Joint  conferences  of  employees'  representatives  and  com- 
pany representatives  shall  be  held  at  each  of  the  works  at 
least  quarterly,  to  discuss  any  matters  of  mutual  interest.  A 
general  conference  of  all  employees'  representatives  from 
the  various  works  and  of  company  representatives  shall  be 
held  annually  at  the  call  of  the  president.  At  all  joint  con- 
ferences the  number  of  company  representatives  shall  not 
exceed  the  number  of  employees'  representatives. 

The  Evolution  of  Industrial  Democracy 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  all  these  things  were  brought 
about  at  once — ^by  a  gesture,  as  it  were.  They  were  evolved 
slowly  and  gradually,  with  trepidation  sometimes,  and  some- 
times with  downright  misgivings.  These  schemes  have  gone 
far  and  done  much,  but  they  were  built  layer  upon  layer, 
as  one  brick  is  placed  upon  another,  and  he  would  be  a  hardy 
man  who  would  declare  that  the  structure  is  completed  yet. 

Below  is  a  scheme  setting  forth  the  evolution  of  industrial 
democracy  from  the  firm  in  which  the  worker  has  no  voice, 
to  the  firm  in  which  he  has  a  yery  audible  one.  This  last 
may  not  be  the  ideal  plan,  but  it  is  as  far  as  industry  has 
gone,  and  for  the  present  must  pass  for  it.  As  has  been  said, 
the  evolution  is  shown  by  various  firms  in  which: 

1.  Employees  have  no  voice. 

2.  Employees  are  encouraged  to  make  suggestions  for 

improvement. 


444  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

3.  Employees  have  voice  through  elected  representatives 

on  a  few  unimportant  matters. 

4.  Employees  have  voice  through  elected  representatives 

on  all  important  matters. 

5.  Employees  have  in  their  hands  the  right  of  decision 

on  a  few  unimportant  matters  through  elected 
representatives. 

6.  Employees  have  in  their  hands  the  right  of  decision 

and  determination  on  all  important  matters,  subject 
only  to  such  supervision  by  the  head  of  the  firm, 
as  the  President  of  the  United  States  has  over 
Congress. 

What  These  Plans  Are 

Some  of  these  plans  have  been  successful,  some  have  had 
an  indifferent  success,  and  others  have  been  utter  and  absolute 
failures.  There  is  no  doubt  that  a  great  deal  depends  on 
the  spirit  in  which  the  employer  installs  the  plan.  That  factor, 
however,  is  outside  the  scope  of  the  present  discussion.  The 
facts  are  that  industrial  democracy  plans  are  playing  a  con- 
siderable part  in  the  industrial  reorganization  of  our  country 
today. 

It  is  of  interest,  therefore,  to  know  exactly  what  these 
plans  call  for,  what  are  the  means  by  which  they  are  actually 
worked  out,  and  what  especially  interesting  features  have  been 
adopted  in  particular  plants. 

\The  Basis  of  Industrial  Democracy 

The  basic  features  of  all  industrial  democracy  plans  are 
similar.  Some  sort  of  workmen's  committee,  either  elected 
by  the  workmen  or  appointed  by  the  management,  is  formed 
to  have  a  voice  as  representatives  of  the  employees,  in  certain 
matters  which  concern  both  the  employer  and  the  employee. 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  445 

The  functions  of  this  committee  differ  with  various  plants. 
In  some  plants  the  committee  is  concerned  only  with  such 
things  as  social  activities,  athletics,  or  things  of  a  like  nature. 
In  others,  the  functions  of  the  committee  include  all  such 
fundamental  matters  as  wages,  hours,  working  conditions,  and 
so  on.  But  there  are  innumerable  gradations  between  these 
two  extremes. 

The  Two  Extremes 

The  power  of  the  committee  to  take  final  action  upon 
those  things  with  which  it  is  concerned  has  an  equal  number 
of  gradations.  At  one  end  of  the  scale  is  the  committee 
which  is  encouraged  merely  to  make  suggestions ;  at  the  other 
end  is  the  committee  which  has  absolute  legislative  powers, 
including  the  power  to  override  the  veto  of  the  general  man- 
ager, and  subject  only  to  the  rare  veto  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  company. 

The  few  points  just  discussed  indicate  in  a  general  way 
the  few  fundamentals  that  will  be  found  in  every  industrial 
democracy  plan. 

An  Example  of  Industrial  Democracy 

The  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company  installed  its 
''industrial  representation  plan"  in  19 19.  This  plan  presents 
several  significant  features.  In  its  final  form  it  is  modeled 
after  the  United  States  Government,  the  legislature  composed 
entirely  of  employees  having  the  power  to  override  the  veto 
of  the  general  manager.  To  begin  with,  a  committee  of 
employees  was  elected  to  meet  with  the  general  manager  to 
work  out  a  satisfactory  system  of  employees'  representation. 
The  plan  worked  out  by  these  men  was  then  voted  upon  by 
all  the  employees.  It  was  next  put  into  operation.  The 
method  of  installation  entirely  removed  the  criticism  that  it 


44^  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

was  a  "company-made"  plan;  it  had  been  almost  entirely- 
devised  by  the  representatives  of  the  workmen,  the  company's 
only  part  being  to  suggest  that  a  plan  be  worked  out. 

Labor  Control 

The  other  significant  feature  of  the  Goodyear  plan  is  the 
direct  and  concrete  way  in  which  it  distinguishes  between  the 
legislative  and  executive  functions  of  the  factory.  The  con- 
stitution says:  "All  executive  powers  for  the  operation  of 
the  Goodyear  factory  shall  be  vested  in  the  management,  and 
shall  not  be  abridged  in  any  way  except  in  accordance  with 
the  legislative  powers  granted  in  this  industrial  representation 
plan."  With  equal  explicitness  it  states:  "All  legislative 
powers  granted  in  this  industrial  representation  plan  shall 
be  vested  in  the  Industrial  Assembly  of  the  Goodyear  fac- 
tory. .  .  ." 

This  distinction  is  regarded  by  many  employers  as  the 
basic  one  to  be  made  between  those  things  in  a  factory  over 
which  labor  shall  be  given  control  and  those  things  over 
which  it  shall  not  be  given  control.  The  Goodyear  plan  meets 
the  matter  more  squarely  and  directly  than  most  plans. 

In  the  Goodyear  plan  the  senate  and  house  of  representa- 
tives are  composed  entirely  of  workmen,  who  meet  alone  at 
specified  times;  their  powers  are  extensive  and  cover  every- 
thing in  which  the  workman  is  concerned.  The  legislative  body 
confers  with  the  management  only  through  the  medium  of 
the  general  manager,  who  acts  upon  bills  passed  by  the  congress 
just  as  does  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

The  Bridgeport  Brass  Company's  Plan 

The  co-operative  relations  plan  of  the  Bridgeport  Brass 
Company,  on  the  other  hand,  calls  for  elected  representatives 
of  the  workmen  to  meet  with  an  equal  number  of  appointed 
company  representatives  for  the  discussion  of  constructive 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  447 

measures  and  the  solving  of  difficulties  which  may  have  arisen. 
The  scope  of  the  functions  of  these  joint  committees  is  also 
broad,  as  in  the  Goodyear  plan. 

The   Willys-Overland  Plan 

The  Willys-Overland  Company  has  installed  an  industrial 
democracy  plan  which  calls  for  joint  committees  of  the  em- 
ployees and  the  management.  The  scope  of  the  activities  of 
these  committees  is  not  quite  so  broad  as  that  of  the  Goodyear 
plan.  In  fact,  the  Goodyear  plan  may  be  taken  as  an  excellent 
example  of  the  maximum  of  industrial  democracy  in  so  far 
as  this  form  of  industrial  organization  is  likely  to  extend  in 
American  plants. 

The  Rockefeller  Plan 

The  Rockefeller  plan,  probably  the  most  noted  and  the 
oldest  of  the  industrial  democracy  plans,  embodies  also  the 
joint  committee  idea.  The  Rockefeller  plan  is  at  the  present 
moment  worthy  of  considerably  more  study  than  most  others, 
when  an  example  of  actual  practice  is  being  looked  for,  since 
it  has  been  in  operation  long  enough  to  have  its  utility  thor- 
oughly tested. 

The  Studebaker  Plan 

A  somewhat  more  indirect  form  of  industrial  democracy 
is  illustrated  by  the  plan  in  use  by  the  Studebaker  Corporation. 
In  this  company  the  employee  is  allowed  to  purchase  stock, 
for  which  the  company  will  pay  half.  "When  20,000  shares 
of  common  stock  are  purchased  by  employees  under  this  plan, 
the  directors  will  recommend  to  the  stockholders'  meeting  the 
election,  as  a  director,  of  a  representative  of  employee  stock- 
holders, which  representative  shall  be  nominated  by  employee 
stockholders  in  an  election  held  for  this  purpose." 


448  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

Motive  of  Plan  Important 

The  interested  manufacturer  would  do  well  to  consider 
his  particular  problem  with  great  care  before  installing  any 
system  as  used  by  another  plant.  A  comprehensive  investiga- 
tion of  the  success  of  other  plans  in  similar  plants  will  repay 
him,  as  will  a  frank  and  exhaustive  survey  of  his  own  inner 
motives  in  proposing  the  plan.  If  it  is  a  defensive  measure 
it  will  fail;  if  he  does  it  for  purposes  of  enabling  the  spirit  of 
honesty  and  fair  play  to  function  properly  it  will  succeed. 

Education  the  First  Step 

When  instituting  a  scheme  of  industrial  democracy  it  must 
be  remembered  that  those  who  are  to  participate  must  fully 
understand  and  appreciate  the  meaning  of  such  a  democracy, 
that  there  may  be  no  misunderstandings  or  false  conceptions. 

The  rank  and  file  of  workers  have  not  been  educated  to 
think  in  terms  of  financial  administration,  and  their  participa- 
tion in  the  affairs  of  an  industrial  organization  should  conse- 
quently be  largely  confined  to  questions  of  wages,  improvement 
of  working  conditions,  housing,  transportation,  hours  of 
work,  recreation,  etc.  Their  participation  in  questions  relating 
to  purchasing,  publicity,  sales,  or  other  matters  of  finance 
should  be  delayed  until  their  education  has  reached  a  point 
that  would  permit  them  to  consider  intelligently  such  vital 
interests. 

The  Example  of  the  American  Multigraph  Company 

The  example  of  the  American  Multigraph  Company's 
experiment  in  industrial  democracy  is  presented  here,  both  for 
the  excellency  of  the  plan  itself  and  the  practical  manner  in 
which  it  was  installed. 

During  the  shop-efiiciency  courses  conducted  in  this 
organization  the  president  discovered  that  the  workers  knew 
that  the  company  had  stockholders,  but  they  did  not  connect 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  449 

them  with  the  distribution  of  profits.  They  had  no  idea  of 
the  capital  stock,  what  it  was,  why  it  had  been  created,  nor 
of  the  various  connections  between  capital  stock  and  stock- 
holders. It  did  not  occur  to  them  that  someone  had  put  up 
money  for  the  buildings  and  tools  that  were  used;  they  were 
vague  on  how  the  materials  were  bought  and  the  finished  com- 
modity sold.  They  had  no  idea  of  what  was  involved  in 
stock-selling.  In  the  main,  the  employees  were  men  of  average 
intelligence.  If  anything,  they  were  above  the  average  intel- 
ligence, but  the  misconception  they  had  of  capital  was  astound- 
ing. True,  they  kept  aloof  from  labor  disturbances,  but  what 
they  knew  about  corporations  and  management  had  been 
gained  solely  from  the  sputterings  of  the  radical  agitators. 
They  had  not  received  any  information  from  the  proper 
sources. 

The  Worker's  Conception  of  Capital 

The  president  had  felt  for  some  time  that  the  management 
was  out  of  touch  with  the  men  and  that  they  should  permit 
the  workers  to  participate,  to  some  extent,  in  the  management 
of  the  industry.  But  how  could  this  be  brought  about  sanely, 
if  the  men  did  not  have  the  faintest  glimmering  of  what 
industry 'was?  One  naive  conception  on  their  part  seemed 
to  be  that  industry  was  a  kind  of  penny-in-the-slot  machine — 
that  you  dropped  in  a  penny,  pulled  out  the  slot,  and  two 
pennies  came  out — ^but  they  forgot  that  sometimes  nothing 
came  out.  They  understood  that  a  savings  bank  paid  interest, 
but  why  and  how,  they  did  not  know.  So  far  as  dividends 
on  capital  were  concerned,  they  thought  that  this  was  money 
out  of  which  labor  had  been  cheated. 

The  Method  of  Education 

Obviously,  the  first  thing  to  do  was  to  teach  a  common 
language  that  would  explain  how  business  and  wages  syn- 


450  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

chronized.  For  the  men,  who  had  had  no  opportunity  to 
acquire  an  education  in  economics,  a  course  in  poHtical 
economy  was  started  in  the  shop,  but  under  a  more  common 
name,  '*A  Course  in  Business,"  and  in  an  understandable 
language.  The  class  was  started  with  a  voluntary  attendance, 
because  the  workers  would  have  resented  any  attempt  to 
ram  economics  down  their  throats. 

Capital  and  Labor  Defined 

It  was  explained  that  a  man  might  be  a  capitalist  in  one 
industry  and  a  laborer  in  another  and  that  when  all  men  were 
both  laborers  and  capitalists  they  would  be  better  off. 

Step  by  step,  it  was  shown  that  an  idea  had  to  be  at  the 
root  of  every  business.  The  idea  upon  which  the  company 
had  been  founded  and  built  was  then  demonstrated.  This  was 
accomplished  by  a  graphic  drawing  of  the  organization  during 
its  growth.  Then  management  was  explained,  that  is,  the 
people  who  thought  this  idea  might  be  developed  into  a  com- 
mercial product.  (This  management  might  have  consisted  of 
one  person.)  It  was  further  shown  that  the  manager  needed 
raw  material  to  develop  the  idea  into  a  product,  that  he  had 
to  have  the  initial  funds  to  buy  this  raw  material ;  next,  that 
all  of  this  was  of  no  use  to  him  unless  he  could  sell  the 
product  and  had  the  customer. 

Then  it  was  explained  that  the  manager,  not  having  suffi- 
cient money,  interested  a  friend  who,  although  he  did  not 
enter  the  management,  put  up  the  money.  The  business  having 
grown,  the  owner  had  to  hire  someone  to  help  him ;  then  came 
labor.  The  customer  was  shown  as  the  source  of  the  sales 
and  income;  finance  as  the  source  of  capital;  raw  material 
as  the  source  of  purchase;  and  labor  as  the  source  of  effort. 
Then  it  was  explained  that  unless  the  money  received  from 
the  customer  (the  only  source  of  income)  was  large  enough 
to  pay  the  wages  of  labor  and  the  cost  of  raw  material,  the 


INDUSTRIAL   DEMOCRACY  45^ 

business  would  fail.  If  the  amount  left  over,  after  paying 
these  two  items,  was  not  large  enough  to  pay  a  living  wage 
to  the  manager  and  to  pay  the  financial  partner  for  the  money 
he  had  put  in,  they  would  want  to  withdraw  and  there  would 
be  no  business.  Therefore,  a  business  as  a  partnership  would 
fail  unless  there  was  a  satisfactory  income  from  the  customer. 

The  Corporation  Defined 

Next,  corporate  organization  was  defined.  When  the 
owner  required  more  money,  more  than  could  be  well  obtained 
from  an  individual,  he  had  to  organize  a  corporation.  Instead 
of  one  man  putting  money  into  the  business,  a  great  number 
did,  for  which  they  received  shares  of  stock  and  became  stock- 
holders, the  original  owner  and  his  partners  disposing  of  their 
holdings  to  the  corporation,  for  which  they  received  not  money, 
but  stock.  At  this  juncture  it  was  pointed  out  that  the  manager 
was  eliminated,  but  since  it  would  not  be  practical  for  each 
stockholder  to  engage  in  active  management  of  the  business, 
directors  were  elected  to  represent  them.  But  other  money 
had  to  be  obtained  to  pay  bills,  because  the  amount  due  from 
customers  would  not  always  be  collected  in  time  to  pay  bills 
due.  Here  was  emphasized  the  issuing  of  preferred  and  com- 
mon stock,  and  at  this  point  was  driven  home  the  idea  that 
it  is  not  from  capital  that  labor  receives  its  wages — that  capital 
provides  only  the  facilities  for  work  and  for  selling,  and  that 
wages  come  out  of  the  customer. 

Wages  and  the  Cost  of  Product 

It  was  also  shown  that  the  price  of  the  article  might  be 
raised  and  thus  pay  higher  wages,  but  then  that  would  lessen 
the  sales;  that  higher  dividends  might  be  declared  by  raising 
the  sales  price,  and  that  if  they  kept  on  increasing  dividends 
and  wages  and  adding  them  to  the  price  of  the  product,  they 


452  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

would  soon  have  the  price  so  high  that  no  one  would  buy  and 
the  company  would  be  dissolved. 

The  next  step  demonstrated  who  got  the  money:  that  labor 
waited  lo  days  for  its  return ;  people  who  sold  the  raw  material 
waited  lo  to  60  days;  and  that  the  stockholders  (common) 
in  this  instance  waited  10  years  before  receiving  a  dividend 
(wages  for  their  money). 

A  Concrete  Expression  of  Capital 

To  clinch  the  men's  growing  comprehension,  a  model  of 
the  first  machine  was  brought  in,  the  first  concrete  expression 
of  the  idea  upon  which  the  company  was  founded.  Most  of 
the  workers,  not  having  seen  the  ''contraption"  before,  laughed 
heartily  at  its  crude  construction.  They  were  asked :  How 
many  would  have  volunteered  their  labor  to  develop  a  thing 
like  that?  Inasmuch  as  their  capital  was  their  labor,  would 
they  have  been  willing  to  take  a  chance?  This  gave  the  em- 
ployee a  true  conception  of  capital  in  its  various  phases. 

The  Relation  of  Overhead  to  Cost 

The  men  were  next  shown  how  an  overhead  charge  adds 
to  the  cost  of  raw  material  the  moment  it  is  purchased ;  how 
that  overhead  charge  increases  as  the  material  goes  through 
the  factory;  how  it  is  added  to  the  cost  of  labor;  and  how 
when  the  finished  article  reaches  the  purchaser  at  Oshkosh, 
the  value  of  the  raw  material  has  been  many  times  multiplied. 
If  a  part  prove  ill  made  or  the  material  faulty,  instead  of 
collecting  money,  the  company  might  have  to  send  a  man  at 
their  expense  to  repair  it  or  eventually  to  furnish  another 
part.  This  thought  was  added  to  show  that  increases  in  wages 
can  be  made  if  there  be  increased  efficiency.  It  was  demon- 
strated to  them  that  a  man  who  earns  $5  a  day  and  makes 
only  five  articles  a  day  is  more  expensive  than  one  who  earns 
$20  a  day  for  making  twenty  articles,  because  the  overhead 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  453 

is  the  same.  This  course  took  the  sentiment  out  of  that  most 
necessary  element — co-operation — and  translated  the  idea  into 
dollars  and  cents  for  everybody — if  the  end  of  business  is 
service,  then  better  service  must  mean  larger  returns  for  both 
capital  and  labor. 

The  Aim  of  the  Company 

It  was  explained  to  the  workers  from  the  start  that  the 
company  meant  to  organize,  not  complaint  bureaus,  but  legisla- 
tive bodies.  The  following  is  a  verbatim  report  of  the  presi- 
dent's plan  of  industrial  democracy  and  its  method  of 
installation  and  operation  in  this  particular  plant. 

We  organized  a  congress  of  twenty-four  members  none 
of  whom  should  be  in  the  managerial  grade.  No  persons 
were  eligible  to  election  unless  they  were  of  age,  were 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  had  been  employed  by  the 
company  for  at  least  one  year.  The  members  were  all 
"at  large,"  that  is,  they  did  not  represent  departments — I 
was  afraid  of  departmental  cliques. 

This  is  the  manner  of  election:  On  an  official  ballot 
each  employee  checks  the  names  of  twelve  individuals.  The 
twelve  persons  receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes  are 
elected.  The  three  out  of  the  twelve  who  received  the 
highest  number  form  a  committee  to  confer  with  me  on  the 
appointment  of  the  other  twelve  members.  I  made  this 
provision  to  provide  against  the  control  of  the  assembly  by 
those  who  had  the  desire  to  destroy  rather  than  to 
construct. 

In  that  I  made  a  mistake.  The  men  elected  were  of  the 
highest  type — so  high,  in  fact,  that  our  committee  of  appoint- 
ment had  trouble  in  getting  twelve  others  to  size  up  with 
them.  Although  I  was  one  of  the  members  of  the  committee 
of  appointment,  I  left  the  detail  entirely  to  the  workmen 
members;  I  merely  participated  as  a  rubber  stamp.  In  the 
future  all  of  the  members  will  be  elected.  It  is  provided  that 
members  shall  hold  office  through  one  year.  Thus  a  con- 
tinuity of  policy  may  be  preserved  which  would  be  impossible 


454  THE  HUMAN   ELEMENT 

were  the  entire  body  made  over  each  twelfth  month.  This, 
of  course,  required  an  adjustment  of  the  terms  of  the  first 
election. 

The  congress  appoints  standing  committees  on  employment 
and  discharge;  education  and  publication;  wages  and  rates; 
finance;  health,  sanitation  and  safety;  economy  suggestions 
and  improvements ;  rules,  procedure  and  elections ;  production 
and  control;  shop  training;  sales  co-operation;  time  and 
motion  study;  spoiled  work,  improvements,  and  machinery; 
recreation;  attendance;  and  the  miscellaneous  committee  for 
matters  not  otherwise  disposed  of. 

There  is  also  elected  (and  this  has  proved  to  be  a  very 
valuable  feature)  a  representative  in  each  department,  who 
is  charged  with  the  duty  of  gathering  material  for  the 
congress  and  to  interpret  its  rules.  The  representatives  sit 
with  the  congress  and  may  be  called  upon  for  advice,  but 
they  do  not  have  a  vote  nor  can  they  engage  in  any  debate 
excepting  by  special  invitation. 

The  second  body  is  the  senate,  which  is  composed  ex 
officio,  of  the  heads  of  departments,  that  is,  the  production 
manager,  the  chief  engineer,  the  superintendent,  the  adver- 
tising manager,  the  sales  director,  the  treasurer,  the  chief 
inventor,  the  chief  inspector;  the  manager  of  industrial 
relations,  and  so  on  down  the  line.  It  is  organized  on  the 
same  general  lines  as  the  congress  and  either  body  may 
initiate  legislation. 

But  before  any  measure  can  be  considered  as  passed, 
it  must  have  the  concurrence  of  both  of  these  bodies  and 
provision  is  made  for  joint  committees  and  also  for  joint 
sessions,  if  they  be  necessary.  The  congress  has  the  power 
of  originating  all  legislation  "directly  affecting  the  relation 
between  the  company,  its  executives,  and  its  employees." 
It  has  no  power  to  go  into  questions  touching  the  company's 
relation  with  the  outside  world,  although  I  think  this  limita- 
tion is  one  of  excessive  precaution. 

Measures  which  are  passed  by  the  congress  and  the 
senate  go  to  the  cabinet,  which  consists  of  the  executives  of 
the  company  and  the  president.  The  recommendations  do  not 
become  regulations  without  the  approval  of  the  cabinet. 

In  the  event  of  a  disagreement  about  the  interpretation 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  455 

of  the  various  powers  conferred  by  the  articles  establishing 
the  congress  and  the  senate,  there  is  provided  a  supreme 
court,  consisting  of  three  members  of  the  congress,  three  of 
the  senate,  and  three  of  the  cabinet,  with  a  chief  justice  or 
chairman  elected  by  the  court  itself.  It  has  not  been  found 
necessary  to  constitute  this  court. 

We  have  further  provision  that  a  representative  elected 
to  the  congress  may  be  recalled  by  his  constituents.  The 
recall  is  instituted  by  a  petition  signed  by  25  per  cent  of  the 
employees  and  the  congressman  is  recalled  if  60  per  cent 
vote  in  favor  of  the  recall.  A  representative  may  be  similarly 
recalled  if  25  per  cent  of  the  voting  members  of  the  depart- 
ment so  petition  and  the  vote  on  the  petition  shows  a  60 
per  cent  majority. 

Now,  what  has  the  congress  done  ?  It  is  young  yet ;  it  is 
not  perfect;  I  should  be  suspicious  if  it  began  to  show  any 
unhuman  evidences  of  perfection.  Its  largest  work  has  been, 
I  think,  investigating  the  8-hour  day  and  withdrawing  any 
objection  to  time  and  motion  studies.  And  in  both  of  these 
subjects  the  committees  and  the  congress  thought  for  them- 
selves, whereas  the  ordinary  workman  in  the  mass  takes  the 
8-hour  day  as  a  good  thing  and  time  study  as  a  bad  thing, 
and  lets  it  go  at  that.  The  time  and  motion  committee  imme- 
diately got  up  against  the  same  problem  that  confronts  every 
production  engineer  when  he  tries  to  set  a  standard.  And 
their  report  of  their  experiences  is  illuminating: 

"Standards  were  set  on  the  drilling  of  150  good  pieces 
on  the  angular  hole  and  the  drilling  of  250  good  pieces 
on  the  half-inch  hole.  Up  to  the  time  these  standards  were 
set,  no  one  had  come  anywhere  near  the  above  standard, 
but  from  scientific  time  studies  and  the  knowledge  of  similar 
jobs  the  production  department  knew  that  the  standards 
were  very  low,  but  felt  that  it  was  fair  to  the  operators  and 
themselves.  When  the  operators  saw  the  standards  that  were 
set  they  did  not  even  give  them  an  hour's  trial  but  struck  on 
the  job  and  came  into  the  office.  Upon  a  very  thorough 
investigation  we  found  that  it  was  a  framed-up  deal  to  get 
the  price  raised;  but  from  logical  argument  we  proved  to 
them  that  the  standard  was  very  fair  and  in  fact  in  their 
favor.     They  consented  to  give  the  job  a  conscientious  two 


* 


456  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

weeks'  trial.  This  they  did  not  do.  They  soldiered  on  the 
job  and  would  not  give  it  a  fair  day's  work. 

"The  company  was  in  much  danger  of  losing  a  contract 
if  they  could  not  begin  to  deliver  the  goods.  In  order  to 
stimulate  production,  but  never  admitting  that  the  standards 
were  too  high,  the  production  department  was  forced  by  the 
insincerity  of  the  operators  and  their  lying  down  on  the 
job  after  faithfully  promising  to  give  it  a  two  weeks'  trial, 
to  reduce  the  angular  hole  standard  to  loo  pieces  and  the 
half -inch  cross  hole  to  200  pieces.  The  operators  got  to 
work  at  once  and  now  production  runs  to  350  pieces  on 
the  angular  hole  and  400  pieces  on  the  half-inch  cross  hole. 

"Neither  democracy  nor  the  faithful  promise  they  had 
made  meant  anything  in  the  lives  of  these  people.  The  only 
thing  they  thought  of  was  the  amount  which  they  would 
receive  in  their  envelopes,  whether  it  was  received  for  faith- 
ful services  or  not,  thus  showing  very  little  interest  in  the 
firm's  welfare." 

An  engineer  from  the  outside  would  not  have  been  able 
to  follow  up  these  reforms  or  to  talk  like  a  Dutch  uncle 
to  the  workers.  But  this  committee  did.  They  had  a  pride 
in  the  standards  which  they  had  set  and  although  they  were 
forced  to  lower  them  for  the  time  being,  they  reinstated 
them  just  as  soon  as  the  operators  themselves  had  demon- 
strated that  the  standards  were  right;  and  then,  of  course, 
there  was  no  come-back.  Or  take  this  comment  on  a  repre- 
sentative : 

"The  third  subject  brought  to  the  notice  Oi  our  committee 
was  that  a  representative,  who  was  elected  by  the  men  in 
his  department  as  being  the  one  honest  and  trustworthy  man 
whom  they  would  like  to  have  representing  them,  was  coach- 
ing the  men  in  his  department,  not  on  how  much  they  could 
do  for  an  honest  day's  work,  but  how  little  they  should  do. 

"We  found,  however,  that  this  man  was  as  dishonest 
as  any  burglar  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  He  not  only 
stole  the  firm's  time,  but  also  stole  the  reputation  of  the  men 
whom  he  was  representing.  This  man  was  discharged  by 
the  foreman,  a  thing  which  the  foreman  should  not  have 
been  forced  to  do.  The  representative's  discharge  should 
have  been  asked  by  the  men  whom  he  was  representing.'' 


INDUSTRIAL  DEMOCRACY  457 

They  got  after  the  subject  of  waste.  They  found  41 
slip  bushings  spoiled.  These  represented  a  labor  and  ma- 
terial value  of  $328,  without  counting  in  the  overhead  they 
had  absorbed  or  the  production  they  had  clogged.  They 
traced  the  trouble  to  three  sources;  they  recommended  that 
tools  and  gauges  be  checked  after  each  operation  and  that 
no  unchecked  gauges  be  permitted  to  go  out. 

They  found  the  scrap  and  spoilage  on  wrapping  was 
extremely  high  and  they  revised  the  character  of  the  taps 
and  the  tap-holder  to  the  end  that  where  1,200  perfect  pieces 
with  150  pieces  scrapped  had  been  the  average,  the  produc- 
tion now  is  about  3,000  perfect  pieces  with  only  80  pieces 
scrapped.  There  is  no  end  of  these  instances,  all  of  which 
mean  money  to  the  company  and  better  wages  to  the  men. 

The  8-hour  committee  is  making  an  extensive  investiga- 
tion as  to  how  the  shorter  work-day  has  operated  in  other 
institutions  and  they  made  these  very  pertinent  comments: 

"Not  only  has  the  cost  of  producing  doubled,  which  can 
in  a  measure  be  understood  by  increased  cost  of  material 
and  higher  labor  rates,  but  our  number  of  hours  per  opera- 
tion has  also  increased  tremendously,  and  in  some  cases  has 
doubled.  Wear  on  our  equipment  plays  some  good-sized 
part  in  this;  so  does  more  rigid  inspection;  but  the  main 
cause,  the  one  wasting  by  far  the  most  time,  is  the  human 
element. 

"We,  every  single  one  of  us,  are  wasting  hours  that 
could  be  put  to  practical  use  both  for  the  company  and  our- 
selves. Carelessness  in  setting  up  jobs  requires  changing 
the  set-up  and  sometimes  spoiled  work,  when  the  job  could 
be  set  up  right  in  the  first  place  with  no  more  time  spent, 
if  we  had  only  used  our  heads.  Then  a  job  should  always 
have  all  the  feed  and  speed  it  can  stand.  Lost  time  in 
changing  pieces  should  be  avoided.  Above  all  else,  gos- 
siping and  general  listlessness  are  the  largest  wasters  of  time. 
Observation  shows  that  this  condition  is  very  bad  and  every 
congressman  and  representative  owes  it  to  himself  and  to 
the  company  to  avoid  these  losses  and  to  urge  others  to 
avoid  it;  for  as  long  as  they  continue  there  can  be  no  hope 
of  an  8-hour  day  with  increased  pay." 

Then  they  suggested  that  standards  should  be  set  up  for 


45^  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

the  day's  work  and  that  the  day  be  arranged  so  that  at  least 
these  standards  would  have  to  be  attained  within  8  hours 
in  order  to  get  the  value  of  lo  hours'  pay.  They  were 
satisfied  that  a  straight  increase  of  the  hourly  wage,  leaving 
the  increased  production  to  the  men  themselves,  was  not 
practical,  "for  while  we  feel  a  few  would  respond,  we  feel 
the  majority  would  not." 

They  have  not  yet  decided  whether  or  not  they  want  8 
hours,  because  they  are  entirely  aware  of  the  economic  fact 
that  unless  they  can  devise  methods  of  producing  as  much 
in  8  hours  as  in  lo,  their  own  wages  will  eventually  suffer 
a  great  deal — in  purchasing  power  if  not  in  volume. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX  A 

f 

THE  EMPLOYEES'  HANDBOOK^ 

New  Workers,  Welcome 

The  Ardmore  Shipbuilding  Company  extends  to  you  its  hearty 
greetings.  It  is  glad  to  welcome  you  to  its  family  of  shipbuilders  and 
assures  you  it  will  do  all  it  can  to  make  your  stay  with  us  both 
pleasant  and  profitable. 

We  appreciate  the  fact  that  your  value  to  yourself  and  to  us 
will  depend  entirely  upon  how  thoroughly  you  learn  all  the  details 
of  the  work  assigned  to  you  and  we  stand  ready  to  assist  you  in 
every  possible  way. 

A  special  department,  known  as  the  service  department,  has  been 
created  for  your  benefit  as  you  will  note  from  the  following  pages. 
If  you  need  help  don't  hesitate  to  make  use  of  this  department.  YoM 
will  find  it  ready  at  all  times  to  consider  your  welfare. 

The  older  employees  are  asked  to  co-operate  with  us  by  being 
especially  attentive  and  courteous  to  new  employees;  to  answer  all 
questions  pertaining  to  the  work,  and  to  offer  any  suggestions  that 
will  aid  beginners  to  become  more  familiar  with  the  requirements 
of  their  new  position. 

Get  the  Ardmore  Spirit.    It  means  your  success  as  well  as  ours. 

Important! 

Employees  wishing  to  be  absent  from  duty  should  get  permission 
from  the  foreman  and  if  for  more  than  one  week  the  file  clerk 
in  the  employment  department  must  be  notified. 

Employees  absent  on  account  of  sickness  should  notify  the  employ- 
ment department  at  once. 

Workmen's  Compensation  Liability  Insurance 

The  Company  insures  its  employees  against  death  and  accident 
under  the  Workmen's  Compensation  Act  of  the  state.     If  injured. 


»See  Chapter  X. 

461 


462  APPENDIX 

no  matter  how  slightly,  report  at  once  to  the  company's  hospital. 
For  the  ten  days  following  an  accident,  the  company  will  provide 
a  physician  and  the  necessary  hospital  services  at  its  expense. 

Payment  of  compensation  under  the  State  law  on  account  of  an 
injury  commences  with  the  eleventh  day,  and  continues  for  a  number 
of  weeks,  or  until  the  employee  is  able  to  resume  work. 

If  you  do  not  want  the  company's  doctor  to  take  care  of  you, 
you  may,  at  your  own  expense,  secure  your  own  doctor.  In  case 
you  do  not  live  in  Ardmore  and  cannot  be  treated  by  the  company's 
doctor,  you  should  tell  him,  so  that  he  can  see  that  you  are  properly 
taken  care  of. 

Ardmore  Company  Relief  Association 

Every  employee  of  the  Ardmore  Shipbuilding  Company  who  is 
interested  in  the  success  of  the  Relief  Association  should  apply  for 
an  application  blank  at  once,  obtaining  same  from  your  foreman 
or  head  of  department,  or  from  the  service  department.  By  signing 
application  during  the  month  of  February,  the  dues  will  be  deducted 
the  last  pay-day  of  this  month,  said  dues  carrying  full  membership 
during  the  month  of  March. 

This  new  feature  for  the  employees  of  the  Ardmore  Shipbuilding 
Company  is  one  which  should  receive  the  hearty  support  of  every 
man  in  the  yard.  It  is  inexpensive,  and  when  in  time  of  trouble, 
a  call  is  made  upon  the  funds  of  the  association,  there  is  great  help 
assured  through  the  weekly  benefit  allotted. 

The  principal  provisions  of  the  Ardmore  Shipbuilding  Company 
Relief  Association  are  as  follows: 

Initiation  fee — $1,  payable  upon  signing  of  application. 

Dues — 50  cents  per  month,  deducted  from  wages,  payable  last 

week  of  month. 
Sick  benefits — $5  per  week  for  thirteen  weeks. 
Death  benefits  for  member — $100. 
Death  of  wife  of  member — ^$50. 

Wife  of  member,  provided  he  is  in  good  standing  for  one  year, 
giving  birth  to  child — $30. 

Hours  of  Labor 

The  hours  of  labor  for  all  yard  departments  are  as  follows: 
From  7:15  A.M.  to   12:00  m.,  and   12:45  to  4  p.m.     Saturdays, 


THE  employees'   HANDBOOK  4^3 

7:15  A.M.  to  11:15  A.M.     Night  shift,  5  p.m.  to  9  p.m.,  and  9:30  to 
1 :3o  A.M. 

Whistle  Blows.  The  Warning  Whistle  (two  blasts)  will  be 
sounded  at  7:10  a.m.  and  12:40  p.m.  The  yard  gates  will  close  at 
7:30  A.M.  and  will  remain  closed  until  7:55,  when  they  will  reopen 
until  8  A.  M.  They  will  then  close  until  12  noon.  No  person  will  be 
allowed  to  start  work  after  12 :45  p.m.  The  whistle  for  starting  work 
(one  blast)  will  be  sounded  at  7:15  a.m.  and  12:45  p-^.  Also  one 
blast  will  be  sounded  at  close  of  working  hours  at  12  noon  and 
4  p.m.  and  11  a.m.  on  Saturday. 

Time  Cards 

Time  cards  with  your  name  and  number  will  be  found  daily  in 
the  proper  racks.  On  entering  the  plant  remove  your  card  and  after 
punching  in  the  time  clock,  return  it  to  the  rack.  Each  time  card 
is  provided  with  a  stub  check  which  the  worker  should  retain  until 
pay-day.  If  lost,  notify  paymaster  to  stop  payment  and  duplicate 
coupon  will  be  issued  on  the  Monday  following. 

Identification  Badges 

Employees  will  be  given  identification  checks,  which  must  be 
presented  to  the  paymaster  on  pay-days.  Loss  of  this  check  should 
be  reported  to  the  time  clerk  immediately.  A  charge  of  25  cents 
will  be  made  if  lost  or  not  returned  on  leaving  the  service  of  the 
company. 

Pay-Day 

Employees  will  be  paid  each  Saturday  between  the  hours  of 
II  A.M.  and  I  P.M.,  for  work  done  the  week  ending  the  previous 
Saturday,  lining  up  in  the  order  of  their  check  number  before  the 
pay  window  for  their  department,  and  upon  showing  identification 
check  and  stub,  will  receive  an  envelope  containing  pay,  and  notifica- 
tion of  any  charges  that  may  have  been  made.  It  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  show  your  identification  check  to  the  paymaster  for 
identification. 

If  for  any  reason  you  do  not  get  your  pay  at  the  regular  time, 
you  should  go  to  the  foreman  of  your  department,  who  will  give 
you  an  order.  Take  this  to  the  ofiice  for  approval  by  your  time- 
keeper, then  to  the  paymaster's  window,  where  you  will  get  your 
money.  If  you  question  the  amount  in  your  envelope,  you  should 
report  it  at  once  to  the  timekeeper. 


464  APPENDIX 

Clearance  Slips.  Wages  cannot  be  drawn  for  any  week  without 
working  the  equivalent  of  two  full  days  during  a  following  week, 
unless  a  tool  clearance  is  obtained. 

Hours.  The  first  eight  hours  will  be  paid  at  the  straight  time 
rate;  time  and  half-time  for  overtime. 

Between  the  hours  of  twelve  and  midnight  Saturday  and  twelve 
midnight  Sunday,  all  work  will  be  paid  for  at  double  time  rate. 
Holidays  will  be  paid  for  at  the  same  rate  as  Sunday  work. 

Holidays.  The  holidays  are  as  follows:  New  Year's  Day,  Wash- 
ington's Birthday,  Memorial  Day,  Independence  Day,  Labor  Day, 
Thanksgiving  Day,  and  Christmas. 

Termination  of  Employment 

Employees  leaving  the  company  must  give  their  foreman  one 
week's  notice,  and  must  terminate  through  the  employment  depart- 
ment. If  this  notice  is  not  given,  you  cannot  receive  your  pay  until 
the  next  regular  pay-day. 

Taking  Property  From  the  Yard 

An  employee  wishing  to  take  personal  property  from  the  plant 
must  obtain  a  pass  from  his  foreman  and  present  it  to  the  gate- 
keeper. 

Leaving  Yard  During  Working  Hours 

To  leave  the  yard  during  working  hours  because  of  weather 
conditions,  sickness,  completion  of  work  or  emergencies,  apply  to 
your  leading  man  for  a  pass-out  card.  Present  this  at  the  main 
gate. 

Absence.  To  be  absent  from  the  yard,  a  pass-out  card  should 
be  obtained  punched  by  your  leading  man. 

If  absent  without  permission  you  should  telephone  or  write  your 
foreman. 

If  absent  without  permission  or  without  notifying  your  foreman, 
your  employment  will  be  considered  terminated  after  six  days. 

To  return  to  work  after  your  employment  has  been  terminated 
it  will  be  necessary  to  be  rehired  and  re-examined  physically. 

Toilets 

The  company  is  making  every  effort  to  keep  its  toilets  in  clean, 
sanitary  condition.     New   toilets   are  being  installed   as   rapidly  as 


THE   employees'    HANDBOOK  4^5 

conditions  will  permit.  This  is  to  protect  your  health.  You  are 
asked  to  co-operate  in  properly  maintaining  these  toilets.  All  un- 
sanitary conditions  should  be  reported  to  the  sanitary  inspector  of 
the  service  department. 

Complaints 

An  employee  who  feels  that  he  has  been  treated  unfairly  and 
has  made  an  effort  to  adjust  the  matter  with  those  directly  over  him 
without  receiving  satisfaction,  may  come  to  the  employment  depart- 
men  and  state  his  case,  with  the  assurance  that  he  will  receive  every 
consideration. 

Hospital 

The  company  operates  a  hospital  for  the  purpose  of  rendering 
first  aid  to  all  employees,  for  which  no  charge  will  be  made.  If 
injured,  you  must  report  to  the  hospital  at  once.  Employees  will 
receive  free  advice  and  treatment  at  the  company's  hospital  at  any 
time  for  injuries  incurred  inside  or  outside  of  the  yard.  The  service 
department  has  a  competent  visiting  nurse  employed  to  assist  workers 
who  are  out  owing  to  illness  or  accident.  Those  needing  her  services 
apply  at  service  department. 

Medical  Advice 

If  you  have  physical  defects  that  you  know  of,  or  if  yoia  are 
not  in  good  health,  you  should  report  to  the  hospital  for  examination. 
The  company  will  endeavor  to  help  you  regain  your  health  and 
strength. 

Interfering  With  Light,  etc. 

Employees  must  not  interfere  with  the  operation  of  lighting, 
heating,  or  fire  apparatus,  or  with  any  of  the  water,  steam,  or  gas 
valves  in  any  of  the  departments. 

Smoking 

Smoking  is  positively  prohibited  during  working  hours. 

Housing 

For  the  convenience,  particularly  of  new  employees,  a  list  of 
houses  and  rooms  to  let,  and  of  boarding-houses,  is  maintained  in 


466  APPENDIX 

the  service  department.    The  company  also  maintains  its  own  housing 
facilities  and  dormitories. 

Showers 

Shower  baths  and  all  other  modern  conveniences  are  provided  in 
the  dormitories  for  the  use  and  well-being  of  our  employees. 

Restaurant 

A  restaurant  where  employees  may  purchase  their  lunch  is  pro- 
vided by  the  company. 

Suggestions 

The  company  welcomes  suggestions  from  its  employees  looking 
toward : 

1.  Betterment  of  conditions  under  which  the  men  work. 

2.  Increase  in  output. 

3.  Improved  methods  of  doing  work. 

4.  Decreased  cost  of  doing  work,  or  of  operating  the  plant. 
Suggestion  boxes  are  located  at  various  points  in  the  yard.  Sug- 
gestions should  be  placed  in  sealed  envelopes  with  the  name  of  the 
man,  his  number  and  date  on  the  inside,  and  dropped  into  one  of 
the  boxes.  Suitable  cash  awards  will  be  made  for  suggestions  which 
the  company  accepts. 

Lost  and  Found  Articles 

Turn  in  lost  and  found  articles  to  the  service  department. 

Fire  Protection 

The  yard  maintains  a  fire  department  made  up  of  men  from 
the  different  departments.  When  a  fire  alarm  is  sounded,  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  fire  department  to  respond  quickly,  and  other  employees 
of  the  yard  are  to  remain  at  work,  unless  otherwise  directed. 

Any  employee  of  the  company  desiring  to  become  a  member  of 
the  fire  department  should  file  his  application  with  the  fire  chief. 

Do  not  throw  lighted  cigars,  cigarettes,  or  pipe  ashes  anywhere 
in  the  yard.  Oil  used  for  fuel  on  ships  and  around  the  plant  should 
be  handled  with  the  utmost  care. 

Safety  First  and  Always 

After  the  precautions,  warnings,  safeguards  and  safety  appliances 


THE   EMPLOYEES*    HANDBOOK  4>7 

have  been  set  up,  there  still  remains  the  greatest  safety  device  known, 
and  that  is  a  "careful  man." 

Traffic.  On  account  of  the  traffic  within  the  yard,  the  men  are 
requested  to  use  the  greatest  care  in  going  about.  Riding  on  locomo- 
tives, auto  trucks,  crane  hooks,  or  loads  carried  by  cranes  is  strictly 
prohibited. 

Clothing.  Loose  neckties,  sleeves,  or  ragged  gloves,  poor  shoes 
with  loose  soles,  and  tennis  shoes  must  not  be  worn  while  moving 
about  the  ships  or  machinery.  Use  great  care  when  working  on 
staging  around  ships. 

Be  Careful.  Careful  habits  are  worth  more  than  safety  devices. 
Report  to  your  foreman  or  safety  committee  every  unsafe  or  danger- 
ous condition  you  see.  Never  be  responsible  for  an  accident  to  a 
fellow-workman. 

Service  Department 

The  service  department  is  located  in  the  employment  and  service 
building,  and  is  always  glad  to  assist  and  advise  employees  on  any- 
thing affecting  their  personal  welfare. 

The  following  activities  for  your  benefit  are  maintained  by  this 
department.     For  further  information,  apply  at  the  office. 

The  Companion.  The  Companion  is  a  monthly  magazine  devoted 
to  the  interest  of  the  employees  of  the  plant.  Its  sole  purpose  is 
to  encourage  a  spirit  of  co-operation  and  patriotism  among  the  men. 
It  is  also  intended  to  be  educational  and  instructive.  News  items 
from  every  shop  and  department  in  the  yard  are  special  features. 
All  the  men  in  the  yard  are  asked  to  co-operate  to  make  this  paper 
a  success. 

Social  and  Athletic  Activities.  The  service  department  takes  a 
special  interest  in  all  social  and  athletic  activities  that  are  fostered 
among  the  men. 

The  Band.  The  ship  band  is  now  a  very  important  feature  of 
the  yard.  There  are  about  thirty  pieces  in  the  band  and  each 
musician  takes  a  great  interest  in  doing  his  part  toward  making 
the  social  life  of  the  shipyard  a  success. 

Orchestra.  An  orchestra  composed  of  the  best  talent  available 
has  been  organized.  It  will  be  of  great  value  during  the  fall  and 
winter  season,  when  numerous  dances,  entertainments,  and  various 
other  features  will  be  held. 

Social  and  Athletic  Board.     This  board  has  been  acting  under 


468  APPENDIX 

the  supervision  of  the  service  department  in  conducting  the  various 
social  and  athletic  activities  of  employees. 

Yard  Meetings.  Patriotic  and  other  meetings  are  held  from  time 
to  time  and  have  proved  to  be  very  interesting  and  beneficial.  Every 
effort  is  made  to  provide  the  best  talent  available  for  these  meetings. 

Americanization  Classes.  There  have  been  established  in  the 
plant,  Americanization  Classes  for  the  benefit  of  foreign-born  em- 
ployees. The  course  of  instruction  aims  to  enable  a  foreign  shipyard 
worker  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  conversational  English  and  prepare 
him  to  become  an  American  citizen. 

The  Village.    The  Emergency  Housing  Corporation  has  completed 

a  number  of  houses  at  the Village  on 

street    ( street-car  line  runs  by  the  village,  affording  easy 

access  to  it). 

These  houses  are  constructed  exclusively  for  the  workers  of  our 
plant;  there  are  287  houses  and  106  apartments,  all  of  which  are 
equipped  with  furnaces  for  heating  purposes;  they  also  have  electric 
lights,  gas  stoves,  wash  trays,  and  all  the  fittings  of  a  modern  home. 
The  houses  contain  4,  5,  and  6  rooms  and  are  rented  to  ship-workers 
on  a  weekly  rental  basis. 

The  apartments  are  all  steam-heated.  A  portion  of  them  contain 
3  rooms  and  the  balance  4  rooms.  The  rental  of  these  apartments 
is  upon  a  weekly  basis,  the  same  as  the  houses,  and  rentals  include 
heat,  hot  water,  and  janitor  service.  These  buildings,  like  the  houses, 
are  modern  and  up-to-date  in  every  respect. 

Hotel  and  Cafeteria 

Directly  opposite  the  plant  is  a  new  hotel  for  the  exclusive  use 
of  the  employees  of  the  shipyard.  It  contains  292  rooms,  bathrooms, 
showers,  a  modern  barber-shop  (4  barbers),  a  cafeteria  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  1,000,  officers'  dining-room,  clerks'  dining-room, 
lunch  counter,  library,  and  poolroom. 

Every  facility  will  be  given  in  this  hotel  for  the  comfort  and 
care  of  the  workers  in  our  plant. 


APPENDIX  B 

INDUSTRIAL   TRAINING^ 

By  Former  Director  C.  T.  Clayton,  United  States  Department 
of  Labor  Training  Service 

It  may  be  well  briefly  to  describe  the  method  of  a  training  depart- 
ment. The  work  is  conducted  directly  by  the  employers,  the  students 
of  the  department  having  previously  been  hired  by  the  firms.  They 
do  not  pay  tuition.  This  is  perhaps  the  distinguishing  mark  of  the 
training  work,  which  may  be  conducted  in  an  imposing  building 
or  a  room  set  apart  in  a  factory,  or,  as  in  many  instances,  a  mere 
section  of  a  factory  building.  Possibly  only  a  few  of  the  machines 
regularly  employed  in  the  productive  operations  of  the  factory  are 
set  aside  during  a  portion  of  the  time  for  training  use. 

The  following  pages  present  striking  and  informative  replies 
from  managing  heads  of  some  i6  training  departments  to  a  letter 
containing  the  following  queries  as  to  their  respective  experiences 
in  training: 

1.  How  do  you  obtain  students  for  training? 

2.  Upon  what  kinds  of  machinery  are  they  trained? 

3.  Are  students  given  any  instruction  aside  from  operation  of  the 
machines,  such  as  in  mathematics,  use  of  measuring  instruments, 
reading  of  blue-prints,  etc.? 

4.  To  what  extent  does  training  render  students  competent;  for 
instance,  do  they  learn  to  set  up,  to  grind  their  tools,  etc.,  or  simply 
to  feed  the  machines? 

5.  Upon  what  occupations  are  trained  people  now  being  used? 

6.  What  is  the  usual  period  required  for  training  in  the  occupa- 
tions your  department  includes  and  what  pay  do  learners  receive? 
Give  also  the  shop  pay  in  the  same  occupations. 

Taken  collectively,  the  replies  tend  to  show: 


»See  Chapter  XIV. 

469 


470  APPENDIX 

1.  That  new  employees  are  more  readily  obtained  by  establish- 
ments having  a  training  department. 

2.  That  training  is  practicable  for  any  kind  of  machinery,  no 
matter  how  complex;  and  that  trained  workers  are  much  more 
efficient  than  workers  "broken  in"  in  the  ordinary  fashion. 

3.  That  it  is  well  to  give  as  broad  training  as  possible.  Those 
who  are  willing  to  spend  the  time  and  money  to  teach  the  learners 
shop  mathematics,  use  of  precision  instruments,  drawing  and  reading 
of  blue-prints,  invariably  report  that  it  pays.  The  more  the  employee 
knows,  the  better  worker  and  the  more  contented  he  is.  Industrial 
education  of  this  sort  is  a  sound  and  profitable  investment. 

4.  That  there  seems  to  be  no  limit  to  the  extent  of  competency 
that  training  can  give  if  the  training  department  is  well  organized 
and  the  instructors  are  capable.  There  is  one  best  way  to  do  anything 
and  numerous  ways  which  will  get  a  thing  done — none  of  them 
quite  as  good.  The  training  department  is  intended  to  teach  that 
one  best  way;  the  self-trained  worker  will  be  likely  to  acquire  one 
of  the  less  good  ways,  and  may  never  execute  the  task  so  easily, 
accurately,  or  quickly.  Real  competence  benefits  both  employer  and 
employee. 

5.  That  such  a  wide  field  of  occupations  is  named  as  suited  for 
this  type  of  training  that  hopeful  experiment  with  any  occupation 
is  justified. 

6.  That  the  pay  of  learners  is  equal  to  the  pay  given  untrained 
labor  during  the  training  period;  after  graduation  the  employment 
department  usually  takes  over  the  graduate  and  places  him  with  a 
production  department  of  the  plant  on  regular  wages,  which  are 
somewhat  higher.  Thus  ambition  spurs  the  student  to  complete  his 
course,  while  the  inspection  methods  of  the  shop  hold  him  to  accuracy. 

7.  That  turnover,  a  cause  of  fearful  economic  waste,  is  greatly 
reduced  in  industrial  establishments  maintaining  well-managed  train- 
ing departments.  The  comparison  of  turnover  reports  from  plants 
having  such  instruction  with  reports  from  plants  lacking  it,  leads 
to  the  judgment  that  in  this  single  element  (and  disregarding  such 
other  factors  as  increased  output,  higher  quality  of  work,  greater 
contentment,  and  larger  pay  earned)  the  training  department  more 
than  repays  the  cost  of  installing  it.  And  this  does  not  consider 
the  fact  that  most  departments,  operating  as  they  do  upon  factory 
products,  come  near  to  paying  and  frequently  entirely  pay  their  own 
running  expenses  in  product  value. 


INDUSTRIAL   TRAINING  471 

Adding-Machine  Manufacturers  Make  Training  a  Permanent  Feature 

An  apprentice  system  for  skilled  factory  employees  having  for 
some  years  proved  an  unqualified  success  in  developing  men  trained 
in  the  manufacturing  of  our  products,  we  were  later  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  following  a  somewhat  similar  method  of  training 
men  for  our  service  work.  In  1916  we  instituted  such  a  course. 
Training  stations  are  located  not  only  in  the  factory,  but  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  with  about  twelve  of  the  larger  stations  having 
from  six  to  eighteen  students,  all  of  which  stations  are  designated 
as  service  schools. 

We  have  found  it  desirable  to  conduct  these  various  schools  in 
the  different  parts  of  the  country  rather  than  in  the  home  office, 
because  it  does  not  drain  any  one  particular  locality,  saves  transporta- 
tion, and  makes  the  men  happier  by  keeping  them  near  home  and 
within  the  field  of  their  future  operations.  This  system  has  also 
provided  us  a  larger  field  to  select  desirable  men  from.  Age,  educa- 
tion, and  moral  character  are  standar,d  requirements,  followed  by  a 
mechanical  try-out  to  prove  the  student's  vocational  learning.  This, 
in  turn,  is  followed  by  an  intensive  mechanical  training.  The  service 
course  is  for  a  three  months'  period,  during  which  time  the  men 
are  constantly  in  touch  with  our,  regular  field  men,  and  are  under 
the  instruction  of  the  head  inspector  of  the  particular  office  to  which 
they  have  been  assigned. 

Regular  lessons  have  been  prepared,  covering  every  feature  of 
the  various  types  of  machines  manufactured  by  this  company,  begin- 
ning with  the  simpler  form  and  following  through  to  the  more 
complicated  model,  as  the  students  qualify.  A  record  sheet  of  each 
day's  work  is  maintained.  Weekly  reports  of  each  student's  progress 
are  submitted  to  the  home  office.  Instructive  questions  are  furnished 
to  students  during  each  step  of  the  course.  Monthly  conferences  are 
held,  during  which  an  educational  division  program  is  followed. 

In  interviewing  applicants  for  the  service  course  they  are  told 
what  our  firm's  service  means.  That  it  provides  the  maintenance 
necessary  to  insure  the  perfect  operation  of  our  adding  machines 
no  matter  where  the  machines  are  located.  That  their  duties  will 
oblige  them  to  clean,  oil,  and  inspect  machines,  so  as  to  prevent 
conditions  that  would  hamper  perfect  operation.  That  they  must 
be  capable  of  rendering  expert  mechanical  service  under  all  condi- 
tions. That  they  must  be  diplomats  in  adjusting  misunderstandings, 
so  as  to  satisfy  our  customers. 


472  APPENDIX 

The  necessity  and  advantages  of  our  training  course  are  pointed 
out  in  order  that  the  applicant  will  know  whether  he  has  discovered 
the  line  that  he  is  suited  for.  He  is  assured  of  steady  employment, 
as  every  machine  sold  adds  to  the  work  of  the  service  man.  He  is 
guaranteed  stipulated  salary  increases  and  has  assured  future  pros- 
pects. Any  growing  concern  which  employs  trained  men  requires 
a  constant  addition  of  experts  to  meet  the  expansion  of  business,  and 
must  advance  the  employees  who  show  superior  ability. 

H  the  applicant  is  convinced  that  our  company  offers  an  unusual 
opportunity,  he  is  asked  to  fill  out  an  application  form.  H  he  can 
meet  with  the  requirements  as  to  age  and  education,  he  is  given  a 
mechanical  try-out  by  the  instructor,  and  if  be  passes  favorably  he 
is  employed.  If  there  is  no  vacancy,  he  is  placed  on  the  prospective 
list.     Otherwise,  he  is  rejected. 

Applicants  who  prove  their  fitness  for  our  line  are  given  a 
practical  and  theoretical  course  of  instruction  covering  the  functions 
of  all  models  of  our  adding  machines.  The  instruction  books  are 
based  on  actual  experience,  which  develops  practical  men  quickly. 
The  method  of  instruction  is  systematic.  Record  sheets  are  used, 
which  indicate  the  subjects  in  detail,  and  also  the  order  in  which 
they  should  be  followed.  Frequent  examinations  and  the  answering 
of  test  questions  protect  the  students  against  an  incomplete  course 
and  insure  the  necessary  thorough  training. 

A  total  of  552  students  completed  this  course  in  the  first  thirteen 
months  of  its  operation. 

Unusual  labor  conditions  in  1918  caused  us  to  establish  a  school 
for  the  unskilled  (female)  labor  in  connection  with  one  of  our 
departments  engaged  in  the  simpler  operations.  As  the  workers  pass 
through  the  employment  department  they  are  placed  in  this  training 
school  under  the  supervision  of  a  competent  instructor  and  are 
thoroughly  grounded  in  the  operation  performed  in  that  particular 
department.  While  in  this  school  their  characteristics  are  studied, 
and  as  they  acquire  proficiency  and  their  ability  develops  they  are 
assigned  to  more  intricate  and  important  work  in  the  other  depart- 
ments throughout  the  factory.  The  selection  of  these  assignments 
is  determined  by  their  physical  condition  and  their  mechanical  develop- 
ment and  aptitude.  The  instructor  explains  thoroughly  the  nature 
of  the  new  employment,  points  out  the  advantages  accruing  to  the 
employees  because  of  their  increased  earning  capacities,  introduces 
them  into  the  new  department,  points  out  in  detail  the  various  opera- 


INDUSTRIAL   TRAINING  473 

tions  conducted  therein,  and  painstakingly  explains  the  scope  of  their 
new  duties. 

The  following  day  they  are  started  at  their  new  operation,  and, 
by  frequent  observation,  instruction,  and  encouragement,  improve 
to  a  degree  where  they  become  expert  in  the  one  operation.  In 
this  manner  they  are  gradually  developed  from  the  simpler  burring 
and  filing  operations  until  we  now  employ  them  in  departments 
performing  such  varied  operations  as  indicated  below: 

Spring  winding,  operating  of  riveting  machines,  drill  press  and 
milling  machines,  straightening  of  parts,  assembling  of  special  fea- 
tures, assembling  and  fitting  type,  the  erection  of  machines,  adjusting 
and  inspecting  machines,  assembling  and  adjusting  motors,  punch 
press,  and  hand  and  automatic  screw-machine  work. 

In  the  first  ten  months  of  the  training  school,  412  persons  have 
been  received  in  the  training  department  and  260  have  been  trained 
and  transferred  to  other  parts  of  the  plant.  At  all  times  there 
have  been  about  40  or  50  persons  undergoing  training.  Only  9 
have  been  returned  to  the  training  department  for  further  training 
since  it  started.  After  receiving  additional  training,  these  9  were 
again  placed,  and  in  no  case  has  one  failed  for  the  second  time. 
It  is  just  a  matter  of  finding  the  right  places  for  the  right  persons, 
and  then  there  is  no  question  about  their  making  good  on  the 
jobs. 

While  we  have  been  satisfied  with  the  results  obtained  under  the 
present  system  of  training  unskilled  help,  we  acknowledge  that 
greater  results  could  be  more  quickly  attained  were  it  possible  for  us 
to  spare  the  space  to  provide  for  a  fully  equipped  school,  in  which 
the  employees  could  be  trained  directly  for  the  class  of  work  we 
would  employ  them  in.  We  know  that  under  such  a  system,  away 
from  the  noise  and  confusion  of  the  big  workrooms,  and  under  the 
guidance  of  a  skilled  operator  with  the  teaching  faculty,  we  could 
more  rapidly  acquaint  them  with  their  duties  and  instil  into  them 
a  confidence  that  would  place  them  in  the  factory  on  a  level  with, 
and  undisturbed  by,  the  employees  already  there. 

The  completion  of  an  addition  to  our  plant,  now  under  con- 
struction, will  allow  us  the  necessary  space  for  this  purpose,  and  we 
intend  to  avail  ourselves  of  all  the  advantages  of  a  separate  training 
school  at  the  earliest  possible  date.  Methods  are  being  studied  and 
plans  are  being  prepared  toward  that  end,  and  we  hope  to  reach  a 
standard  in  this  line  of  endeavor  that  will  serve  as  a  model. 


474  APPENDIX 

A  Cloak  and  Suit  Manufacturer 

We  have  well-organized  training  for  our  power  and  hand  sewing 
machine  departments,  in  which  400  people  are  employed.  Our  train- 
ing department  equipment  includes  12  machines  representing  three 
or  four  different  types.  All  new  employees  who  are  to  be  stationed 
in  any  of  the  departments  pass  through  our  training  school,  spending 
from  three  days  to  three  months  there,  depending  on  their  previous 
experience  as  well  as  the  class  of  work  to  which  they  are  assigned. 
The  students  receive  a  straight  weekly  salary  with  a  bonus.  In 
addition  to  the  operation  of  the  machines  mentioned  above,  we  teach 
the  shop  system,  the  use  of  tickets  on  jobs,  method  of  computing 
bonuses,  etc. 

A  Large  Tool  Works  Company  that  Believes  Training  Soon  Will 
Be  Universal 

With  the  outbreak  of  the  war  it  did  not  take  shop  executives  in 
this  country  long  to  realize  the  inefficiency  of  untrained  labor  as 
compared  with  skilled  men  formerly  employed  and,  as  a  result,  in 
many  plants  an  exhaustive  study  of  the  situation  was  begun  for 
increasing  the  productiveness  and  general  efficiency  of  new  employees. 
The  outcome  of  a  careful  survey  of  the  field  by  this  large  tool 
works  was  the  establishment  of  a  training  department  devoted  solely 
to  training  men  and  women  in  machine-shop  work.  While  the 
advantages  of  the  training  department  can  be  recited  in  a  few  words, 
yet  they  are  far-reaching  and  powerful.  Under  this  concern's  system 
the  accepted  applicant  is  taken  to  the  training  department  where 
he  receives  his  preliminary  training  in  the  fundamentals  of  machine- 
shop  work.  He  is  instructed  in  the  use  of  the  rule  and  micrometers; 
he  is  given  preliminary  training  in  reading  drawings;  he  is  taught 
vise  work,  scraping,  fitting,  filing,  or  is  given  instruction  in  operating 
different  types  of  machines.  The  training  department  accomplishes 
one  thing  which  alone  indorses  it  as  a  success,  namely,  *that  it  gives 
the  graduate  the  foundation  in  the  knowledge  of  machine-shop  prac- 
tice upon  which  to  build  when  he  becomes  a  working  unit  in  the 
regular  productive  force. 

Under  the  system  employed  by  this  company,  the  average  student 
receives  about  two  weeks'  training  in  the  training  department  before 
being  permitted  to  take  a  position  in  the  shop.  The  training  period 
varies,  however,  with  the  ability  of  the  student,  some  requiring  only 
a  few  days  and  others  needing  more  than  two  weeks. 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  475 

It  has  been  found  that  the  close  personal  contact  between  the 
student  and  the  instructor  is  one  of  the  primary  advantages  of  the 
school,  because  it  gives  the  instructor  an  opportunity  to  study  the 
characteristics  and  inclinations  of  the  student. 

The  concern  has  set  aside  for  the  training  department  i,ioo  square 
feet  of  floor  space,  as  equipment,  it  has  installed  benches  for  14 
vises,  one  14  inches  by  6  feet  American  lathe,  three  16  inches  by  8 
feet  American  lathes,  one  No.  2  universal  miller  with  all  attachments, 
a  24-inch  American  shaper,  a  3-foot  American  radial,  a  speed  lathe, 
tool-grinder,  and  arbor  press. 

The  training  is  in  direct  charge  of  one  general  supervisor  and 
two  assistant  instructors.  No  work  nor  effort  is  wasted  in  the  school. 
All  material  used  for  instruction  purposes  is  selected  from  standard 
parts  used  in  the  construction  of  the  regular  product,  consequently 
when  the  work  on  these  parts  is  finished  in  the  school  they  are  sent 
back  into  the  shop  to  be  used  in  the  assembly  of  various  machines. 
While  some  work,  of  course,  is  spoiled  in  this  way,  the  majority 
of  it  passes  inspection  and  is  used. 

The  first  work  given  a  new  pupil  is  naturally  of  a  very  elementary 
nature.  For  example:  A  pupil  learning  to  operate  a  lathe  will  be 
given  a  piece  of  work  to  produce  similar  to  a  feed  rod  collar,  which 
is  a  simple  piece  of  work  about  2  inches  in  diameter  and  }i  inch  face, 
that  must  be  turned  to  size,  faced,  and  the  sharp  corner  rounded  off. 
The  pupil  is  first  shown  how  to  put  the  collar  on  the  mandrel,  then 
how  to  place  the  mandrel  between  centers,  and  in  what  position 
to  set  his  tool.  He  then  sets  to  work  on  the  machining  operation. 
For  the  first  day  or  two  he  is  not  very  fast,  but  just  as  soon  as 
he  becomes  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  different  operating  members 
of  the  lathe  he  is  running  and  can  stop  his  machine,  change  the 
feed,  locate  the  compound  rest,  manipulate  the  longitudinal  and 
cross-feeds,  without  stopping  to  think  over  each  one,  he  begins  to 
acquire  speed,  confidence,  and  enthusiasm.  Then  he  is  in  line  for 
more  difficult  work. 

In  two  or  three  weeks'  time,  if  the  pupil  be  ordinarily  bright, 
he  has  acquired  a  good  working  knowledge  of  lathe  operation,  and 
is  ready  to  take  up  his  work  in  the  lathe  department  out  in  the 
shop.  Of  course,  in  two  or  three  weeks  he  has  not  become  a  skilled 
mechanic,  nor  even  an  expert  lathe  operator,  but  he  has  been  given 
a  good  foundation  in  lathe  work,  which  in  all  probability  will  make 
of  him  a  productive  lathe  operator  in  the  shop. 


476  APPENDIX 

In  training  pupils  on  other  types  of  machines,  in  vise  or  scraping 
work,  the  same  logical  sequence  must  be  followed.  Just  as  soon  as 
the  pupil  understands  what  good  work  and  accuracy  mean,  and  can 
do  his  elementary  work  with  ordinary  rapidity,  he  can  then  be 
advanced  as  rapidly  as  his  ability  will  permit. 

Much  of  the  instruction  on  the  micrometer,  reading  of  drawings, 
etc.,  is  given  in  connection  with  the  blackboard,  which  proves  a  great 
help.  Often  within  an  hour  or  so  the  student  will  understand  the 
micrometer,  and  before  the  day  is  over  be  reading  the  scale  and 
simple  drawings. 

Those  sent  into  the  shop  from  the  school  must  be  able  to  grind 
their  own  tools,  set  up  the  machine  for  ordinary  jobs,  read  the 
micrometer  and  scale,  and  be  able  to  work  to  the  micrometer  adjust- 
ments of  their  machines. 

Stress  is  laid  upon  the  care  and  proper  oiling  of  the  machines, 
and  how  to  avoid  abuse.  Right  habits  in  regard  to  shop  regulations 
are  also  taught.  The  personal  touch  is  established,  which  is  so 
lacking  in  the  large  modern  shop. 

Men  and  women  are  trained  side  by  side.  The  men  excel  where 
changes  in  the  setting  of  the  machines  must  be  frequently  made,  but 
the  women  are  best  on  small  duplicate  work,  in  neatness,  and  in  the 
care  of  their  machines  and  work. 

It  is  neither  the  intention  nor  the  purpose  of  the  training  depart- 
ment to  produce  skilled  mechanics.  It  is  obviously  impossible  to 
train  a  man  to  all  the  various  branches  of  mechanics  in  a  few  days; 
to  attempt  such  a  thing  would  be  sheer  folly. 

In  addition  to  training  machine  operators  and  vise  hands  the 
concern  has  extended  this  work  to  the  engineering  department.  It 
has  divided  those  holding  elementary  positions  such  as  tracers,  blue- 
print machine  operators,  etc.,  into  two  classes  and  each  class  is  given 
30  minutes  per  day.  During  this  time  the  class  is  taken  into  the 
shop  under  the  supervisor  and  is  given  instruction  along  lines  most 
helpful  to  the  members  and  their  work. 

In  the  first  seven  months  of  the  training  department  the  value 
of  the  work  was  established  beyond  question.  An  average  of  30 
acceptable  and  trained  operators  was  admitted  to  the  shop  each 
month.  As  the  department  develops,  this  number  will  increase.  With 
the  signing  of  the  armistice  the  concern  was  confronted  with  a  new 
condition,  but  the  department  had  so  abundantly  demonstrated  its 
value  that  it  is  no  longer  regarded  as  a  war-time  expedient.    It  has 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  477 

a  permanent  place  in  the  organization  and  its  scope  is  being  enlarged. 
To  quote  from  a  statement  issued  by  the  concern:  "The  world  is 
progressing,  and  the  training  department  is  simply  one  more  step 
in  greater  shop  efficiency.  Its  virtues  are  beginning  to  receive 
recognition;  its  advantages  have  already  been  felt.  So  great  are 
the  possibilities  of  this  training  system,  not  only  in  training  new- 
comers but  in  fitting  the  older  employees  for  different  and  better 
work,  that  we  are  forced  to  the  conviction  that  the  time  is  approach- 
ing rapidly  when  every  large  shop  in  this  country  will  be  equipped 
with  a  training  department." 

A  Large  Electric  and  Machine  Plant  Finds  Training  Profitable 

Students  for  our  training  department  are  obtained  by  requisition 
from  the  centralized  employment  department,  and  segregated  accord- 
ing to  special  aptitude,  previous  experience,  and  education. 

Five  training  departments  are  operated  by  this  concern,  as  fol- 
lows: machine  tool  operation,  tracing  and  drafting,  electrical  work, 
stenographic  work,  clerical  work.  The  training  on  machine  tool 
work  covers  the  operation  of  turret  lathes,  milling  machines,  engine 
lathes,  screw  machines,  drill  presses,  benchwork,  and  assembling. 

In  addition  to  instructions  dealing  specifically  with  the  operation 
of  machine  tools,  training  is  given  in  blue-print  reading,  the  use  of 
scales,  gauges,  etc.  Some  instruction  is  also  given  in  simple  mathe- 
matics, including  decimals  and  fractions.  Usually  the  operatives  are 
trained  for  specific  jobs  and  the  instruction  in  related  subjects  is 
based  on  the  requirements  of  the  job. 

In  general  the  operatives  are  here  classified  according  to  their 
intelligence  and  ability  as  shown  during  the  training  period.  Some 
learn  only  the  operations  of  a  certain  machine  tool.  Others  are 
trained  more  broadly  to  become,  inspectors  and  foremen  or  for  work 
requiring  broader  knowledge.  In  the  toolroom,  learners  grind  their 
own  tools  and  set  up  their  own  machines. 

Our  trained  employees  are  now  working  in  the  drafting-rooms 
and  offices  of  this  plant  as  tracers,  detailers,  stenographers,  and 
clerks,  and  in  the  shop  departments  as  screw-machine  operators, 
milling  machine  operators,  on  production  and  toolwork,  drill  presses, 
universal  grinders,  fitting  and  assembling  of  brush-holders,  forming 
and  insulating  coils,  winding  stators,  wiring  switchboards,  and  in- 
spection. 

The  length  of  the;  training  period  varies  from  three  days  to  two 


478  APPENDIX 

weeks,  depending  on  the  operation  and  the  general  aptitude  and 
intelligence  of  employees.  During  the  training  period,  learners 
receive  from  21  cents  to  25  cents  per  hour,  depending  on  the  occupa- 
tion. After  training,  the  learners  are  placed  by  the  employment 
department,  and  receive  from  30  cents  to  50  cents  per  hour,  depending 
on  the  occupation  and  ability  displayed. 

A  Large  Manufacturer  of  Farm  Implements 

Students  for  our  training  department  are  obtained  in  one  of  two 
ways — through  the  co-operative  industrial  course  which  is  being 
operated  through  the  high  school  authorities  or  through  our  regular 
employment  channels,  where  each  foreman  hires  the  apprentices  for 
his  own  department. 

Learners  are  trained  on  machinery  which  is  regularly  found  in 
the  various  crafts.  In  the  machine-shop  they  learn  to  operate  lathes, 
planers,  milling  machines,  boring  mills,  and  a  certain  amount  of 
time  is  given  to  benchwork  and  floorwork.  Pattern-makers  learn 
to  operate  the  regular  woodworking  machines,  as  well  as  the  handling 
of  the  hand  tools  which  are  found  in  the  pattern-making  trade.  They 
also  learn  how  to  lay  out  their  own  work.  Holders  are  first  given 
training  in  the  coreroom  and  then  on  light,  common  castings.  Finally, 
they  are  trained  into  molding  heavier  castings. 

Students  whom  we  receive  through  the  co-operative  industrial 
course  are  given  training  in  shop  mathematics,  the  use  of  precision 
measuring  instruments,  and  reading  of  blue-prints  in  the  school. 
Apprentices  hired  through  regular  channels  are  taught  to  read 
blue-prints  and  the  use  of  measuring  instruments  in  the  course  of 
regular  shop  instruction.  These  apprentices  do  not  receive  any 
mathematical  training. 

The  students  are  taught  to  operate  the  various  machines,  to  grind 
their  own  tools,  and  to  set  up  their  own  work. 

Students  coming  through  the  co-operative  industrial  course  enter 
the  machinist,  pattern-making,  and  electrical  trades,  there  seeming 
to  be  no  desire  on  the  part  of  high  school  boys  to  learn  the  molding 
and  boiler-making  trades.  Apprentices  in  these  latter  trades  usually 
have  only  grammar-school  education. 

The  usual  period  in  the  various  crafts  for  training  apprentices 
is  three  and  one-half  years.  The  pay  increases  every  six  months 
from  II  cents  per  hour  for  the  first  term  to  26  cents  per  hour  in 
the  last. 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  479 

Silk  Manufacturer  Adapts  Training  to  His  Special  Needs 

This  firm  runs  seven  mills.  The  methods  described  are  followed 
in  all  of  them.  All  employees  are  given  training  before  going  into 
regular  production.  Four  classes  of  machinery  are  used  and  learners 
are  trained  upon  each.  The  largest  quantity  of  machinery  involved 
are  weave  looms.  For  this  operation  a  regular  learners'  section  is 
conducted  under  the  management  of  an  expert  selected  because  pos- 
sessing patience  and  tact  as  well  as  ability  and  experience.  The 
rudiments  of  the  trade  are  explained  and  then  the  best  method  of 
operating,  enabling  the  learner  to  earn  the  highest  possible  pay. 
Certain  appliances  have  been  developed  enabling  green  operators  to 
absorb  the  trade  by  the  kindergarten  method.  For  every  variation  of 
product  manufactured  learners  are  given  especial  training. 

In  other  departments  of  the  mills,  learners  are  assigned  to 
operators,  who,  in  addition  to  their  wages,  are  paid  extra  com- 
pensation for  teaching.  Such  learners  are  also  under  the  especial 
care  of  the  foremen  of  the  sections.  Learners  are  advanced  to 
expert  positions  only  after  foremen  of  their  sections  are  convinced 
of  their  ability.  The  time  for  learning  varies  from  three  to  six 
weeks,  according  to  individual  ability. 

Learners  receive,  on  a  piecework  system  of  payment,  $6  per  week 
as  a  guaranty.  All  our  work  being  piecework,  they  receive  in 
addition  any  amount  that,  as  per  rate  schedule,  exceeds  their 
guaranteed  minimum.  In  the  majority  of  cases,  learners  exceed  the 
minimum  after  the  first  two  weeks.  We  have  found  that  this 
guaranteed  minimum  wage  goes  far  to  obviate  unnecessary  hardships 
on  learners.  The  rates  of  compensation  for  piecework  are  the  same 
for  learners  as  for  the  regular  operatives.  ^"~^ 

In  these  mills  a  night  school  has  also  been  run  to  educate  section 
foremen.  In  this  school  such  theoretical  knowledge  of  our  industry 
as  has  been  found  necessary  for  foremen  is  imparted. 

A  New  York  Machine-Shop 

The  training  room  has  at  the  present  time  nine  bench  lathes  and 
a  20-foot  bench  for  training  inspectors.  This  is  due  to  two  reasons — 
first,  lack  of  more  floor  space;  second,  the  bench  lathe  and  inspection 
departments  needed  assistance  first.  The  student  is  expected  to  set 
up  his  own  machine,  to  grind  his  own  tools,  and  to  care  for  his  own 
machine. 


48o  APPENDIX 

Instruction  cards  (operation  sheets)  are  not  used  in  the  factory, 
so  we  do  not  have  them  in  the  school.  The  tools,  gauges,  and 
fixtures  are  in  boxes  that  are  secured  from  the  toolroom  for  each 
job.  As  the  foreman  decides  how  each  job  shall  be  done,  the  student 
is  instructed  in  a  "typical"  way  of  doing  the  job. 

Oiling  is  done  each  morning  by  the  student.  The  instructor,  with 
the  student,  daily  tests  the  machine  for  backlash,  end  play,  and  taper. 
If  any  trouble  is  found,  the  student  is  instructed  how  to  remedy  it. 
As  the  machines  are  all  new,  we  have  had  very  little  trouble  with 
them. 

Oral  instructions  only  are  used.  The  instructor  sets  the  machine 
and  demonstrates  the  operation  to  the  student,  who  performs  the 
operation  until  he  understands  it.  Then  the  machine  is  upset  and 
the  student  sets  it  up  and  submits  his  work  to  the  inspector.  All 
work  is  held  to  definite  standards. 

Following  this  the  next  operation  is  taken  up,  explained,  demon- 
strated, and  performed  as  described.  This  method  is  used  because 
there  are  no  operation  sheets  in  the  shops,  and  also  because  it  is  the 
method  used  by  the  foremen.  When  operation  sheets  have  been 
written  for  each  job  the  method  is  to  be  changed  to  accommodate 
them. 

Machine  Operations.  The  student  is  instructed  orally  in  the 
sequence  of  operations  by  the  instructor  on  each  job.  He  has  the 
blue-print  and  the  rough  piece,  which  he  compares  with  a  finished 
piece.  This  is  because  there  are  no  operation  sheets.  Starting  and 
stopping  the  machine  is  done  by  the  instructor  and  then  by  the 
student  under  his  instruction.  Adjustments  are  first  made  by  the 
instructor  and  then  by  the  student  under  his  direction.  The  stops 
are  set  correctly  at  first,  then  altered,  and  the  student  is  called  to 
make  the  correction. 

Measuring  Tools.  This  is  the  first  subject  taken  up.  The  scale, 
micrometer,  and  vernier  measuring  tools  are  explained  by  a  lecture, 
and  then  the  student  uses  the  tool  on  pieces  of  known  measure.  This 
is  because  the  average  student  has  not  had  sufficient  educational 
training  to  be  able  to  study  out  written  instructions.  He  is  in  the 
habit  of  being  told  and  is  not  accustomed  to  reason  out  a  new  thing. 

After  a  student  learns  how  to  use  a  tool  that  has  been  properly 
ground  and  set  he  is  given  a  piece  of  cold-rolled  steel  of  the  same 
size  and  is  instructed  in  grinding  it  to  a  model.  When  he  can  grind 
the  cold-rolled  tool  he  then  receives  a  piece  of  tool  steel  to  grind 


INDUSTRIAL   TRAINING  481 

one  from.  This  done,  he  is  instructed  to  set  it  up  properly  in  the 
machine. 

There  is  no  inspection  of  material. 

The  reading  of  blue-prints  is  taken  up  by  the  students  when  they 
are  learning  to  use  measuring  instruments.  They  have  a  piece  of 
work  and  its  print  and  are  instructed  how  to  relate  one  to  the  other 
by  comparison.  Student  inspectors  inspect  the  work  after  each 
operation.  They  also  circulate  about  the  machines  and  check  the 
work  while  the  operation  is  being  performed.  Students  are  tested 
as  they  progress  by  giving  them  test  pieces,  and  their  proficiency  is 
compared  with  that  of  the  shop. 

A   Cash-Register   Manufacturer  Considers   Training   Essential 

Inexperienced  help  applying  at  the  employment  department  of 
this  company  is  sent  to  the  training  department,  where  after  a  few 
days  of  work  the  experts  in  charge  are  able  to  classify  and  train  them 
for  the  different  jobs  for  which  they  seem  best  fitted.  Sometimes 
it  becomes  necessary  to  shift  learners  two  or  three  times  before  the 
place  they  best  can  fill  is  found.  At  present  the  training  school 
is  fitting  learners  to  operate  milling  machines,  both  power  and  hand 
feed;  drill  presses,  single  and  double  spindle;  riveting  machines; 
bench  work;  light  subassembling  and  assembhng.  The  department 
has  not  facilities  to  train  for  all  occupations  in  the  factory.  Students 
are  often  necessarily  put  upon  work  for  which  they  have  not  been 
trained;  but  we  find  that  working  in  the  training  department  for 
a  short  period  helps  learners  to  become  accustomed  to  the  factory 
atmosphere  and  noise.  This  refers  to  students  that  are  placed  on 
screw  machines,  lathes,  welding  machines,  engraving  machines,  etc. 

Students  are  instructed  in  the  use  of  gauges,  making  out  time 
and  instruction  tickets,  and  for  certain  jobs  are  taught  to  read 
micrometers.  They  are  also  given  lectures  on  health  and  safety. 
We  do  not  teach  setting-up  jobs,  as  we  have  job-setters  to  do  that, 
but  learners  are  expected  to  sharpen  their  own  drills. 

It  is  our  experience  that  a  training  period  of  four  to  six  weeks 
is  best,  but  the  demand  for  trained  help  is  so  great  that  at  times 
we  can  keep  them  in  the  training  school  only  from  10  to  14  days. 
We  can  depend  upon  most  of  them  staying  with  us  after  starting 
them  on  a  regular  job. 

The  starting  rate  in  the  training  school  is  25  cents  per  hour. 
On   promotion  to   the   factory,   learners   are  given   an   increase  of 


4^2  APPENDIX 

from  2>^  to  5  cents  per  hour  until  qualified  to  go  on  piecework,  when 
wages  range  from  45  to  60  cents  per  hour. 

Details  of  a  Large  Tool  Manufacturer's  Training 

Approximately  85  per  cent  of  the  learners  trained  in  this  com- 
pany's training  department  have  proved  successful.  Classes  vary 
from  18  to  25  each  week,  and  approximately  130  men  previously 
unskilled  have  been  trained  to  be  machine  operators. 

The  training-room  is  about  50  feet  square.  In  it  are  installed 
12  machines,  including  lathes,  drill  presses,  bench  presses,  Pratt  and 
Whitney  turret  lathes,  profilers,  milling  machines,  external  and  in- 
ternal grinders,  emery-wheel  stands,  and  a  Cleveland  automatic.  We 
are  still  adding  machines  to  the  school.  The  training  course  is  so 
systematized  that  a  standard  schedule  is  followed  through  the  week. 
Classes  begin  on  Monday  and  are  trained  from  5  to  12  days. 

The  school  program  is  as  follows : 

First  Day 

8  to  9  A.M.  Our  students  when  entering  the  school  on  Monday 
morning  are  addressed  by  the  works  manager.  This  is  done  so  as  to 
get  them  interested  at  the  very  outset. 

9  A.M.  to  12  M.  Following  the  address  they  are  escorted  by  the 
instructor  to  the  various  assembling  departments  to  give  them  a  general 
idea  of  what  they  are  to  produce  and  to  show  them  the  vital  need  of 
accuracy;  then  there  is  a  general  trip  through  the  factory  showing  them 
the  raw  material  and  the  progressive  method  of  manufacture. 

1  to  2  P.M.  After  the  dinner  hour  they  are  taught  the  difference 
in  iron,  steel,  and  alloys.  In  connection  with  this  course  we  have  issued 
a  pamphlet  called  "Supplementary  Instructions  and  Memorandums,"  made 
up  as  a  memorandum  of  what  they  are  taught  each  day. 

2  to  3  P.M.  This  period  is  taken  up  in  defining  the  mechanical  terms, 
such  as  turning,  drilling,  reaming,  chamfering,  etc. 

3  to  5  P.M.  This  period  is  taken  up  in  teaching  them  fractions  and 
decimals,-  which  is  most  essential  in  our  factory.  In  connection  with 
fractions  all  are  taught  to  read  a  scale  graduated  to  sixty-fourths  and 
one-hundredths. 

Second  Day 

7  to  10  A.M.  They  are  now  taught  to  read  blue-prints.  This  we  do 
by  getting  some  finished  part  and  a  print  of  same,  in  this  manner  letting 
them  compare  with  print;  also  with  explanation  on  blackboard. 

10  A.M.  to  12  M.  We  have  chartered  a  sufficient  number  of  inside  and 
outside  calipers,  scales,  and  gauges  from  our  tool  stockroom  and  teach 
the  "how"  and  "why"  of  their  use. 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  4^3 

I  to  5  P.M.  The  remainder  of  the  second  day  is  spent  in  teaching  the 
students  how  to  use  micrometers.  We  have  chartered  a  sufiScient  supply 
of  these  from  our  tool  stock  for  this  purpose. 

Third  Day 

7  A.M.  to  12  M.  The  forenoon  of  the  third  day  they  are  put  throughout 
the  factory  with  the  inspectors  and  are  made  familiar  with  the  use  of 
gauges,  scales,  micrometers,  etc. 

I  to  5  P.M.  In  the  afternoon  they  are  taken  to  the  several  training 
school  machines  and  a  thorough  explanation  of  each  is  given. 

In  the  following  days  the  student  is  taught  how  to  operate  a 
particular  machine  and  how  to  sharpen  drills,  use  files,  etc.  To 
follow  up  the  progress  made  by  students  after  they  are  transferred 
to  the  factory,  we  use  a  follow-up  sheet,  to  compare  the  average 
wage  earned  with  that  of  the  skilled  men.  We  have  also  a  form 
for  interviewing  students  about  twice  a  week,  to  help  them  until 
they  are  able  to  take  care  of  their  work  without  special  aid. 

The  learners  have  proved  that  they  can,  with  from  5  to  12  days 
of  intensive  training,  bring  their  ability  as  machine  hands  to  a 
standard  of  accuracy  controlled  by  a  .0025-inch  limit. 

State  Trade  Education  at  Bridgeport,  Connecticut 

Students  for  the  state  trade  school  six  months'  course  on  hand 
and  automatic  screw  machines  are  obtained  either  through  newspaper 
advertising  or  the  suggestion  of  other  students. 

New  students  are  started  upon  tool  grinding.  Drills  for  this 
purpose  are  made  of  cold-rolled  steel  and  machine  steel.  When  a 
student  becomes  proficient  he  is  allowed  to  grind  hardened  tools ; 
this  is  kept  up  through  the  course  of  training.  Next  the  student  is 
put  on  a  handscrew  machine,  shown  how  to  operate  it,  how  to  grind 
and  adjust  turning  box,  tools,  etc.,  and,  finally,  how  to  "set  up" 
the  machine. 

Throughout  the  entire  .course  for  approximately  eight  hours  in 
each  week  the  student  is  given  instruction  in  simple  arithmetic  and 
reading  of  blue-prints. 

When  a  learner  has  fully  mastered  the  handscrew  machine  he  is 
put  on  the  automatic  machines.  The  Gridley  and  Acme  are  utilized. 
The  student  is  shown  how  to  operate  each  machine  and,  as  he 
progresses,  how  to  set  it  up,  so  that  when  he  graduates  he  is  fully 
capable  of  "setting  up"  his  machine  on  any  work  that  may  be  given 


484  APPENDIX 

him.  Students  are  not  compensated,  but  after  graduation  are  able 
to  earn  from  50  to  80  cents  per  hour.  Part-time  men  are  also 
instructed,  receiving  the  same  training  as  full-time  students.  These 
are  men  who  work  at  night  and  come  in  for  about  four  hours' 
instruction  during  the  day. 

A  General  Plan  for  Organizing  Training  in  a  Community 

The  following  plans  for  organizing  training  in  a  community  have 
been  worked  out  by  Owen  D.  Evans,  principal  of  the  Continuation 
School,  Boston,  Massachusetts,  who  for  several  years  has  been  in 
touch  with  methods  of  training  mechanics  to  become  shop  instructors 
in  vocational  schools  in  that  city. 

In  any  community  where  it  is  desirable  that  training  be  started 
the  following  procedure  is  suggested: 

1.  A  public  meeting  should  be  held  under  the  local  chamber  of 
commerce,  manufacturers'  association,  or  similar  body,  at  which  com- 
petent speakers  should  give  details  upon  what  has  been  accomplished 
in  training  both  for  vocational  schools  and  directly  on  production 
in  industry. 

2.  On  application  from  manufacturers  whose  interest  has  been 
aroused,  a  competent  person  should  visit  their  plants,  address  their 
department  heads  and,  if  advisable,  their  foremen  and  employees, 
and  establish  a  close  relationship  between  the  employment  department 
and  the  proposed  training  department. 

A  survey  of  the  industry  should  be  made  to  learn  which  depart- 
ments are  best  adapted  to  a  training  scheme. 

It  should  be  determined  whether  the  best  plan  of  training  is  a 
central  training  school,  scattered  but  specific  training  centers  in 
given  departments,  or  a  general  follow-up  scheme  ranging  over  an 
entire  plant.  Next,  preferably  from  the  staff  of  the  manufacturing 
concern,  a  person  competent  to  direct  the  training  is  chosen.  In 
large  plants  he  is  an  employment  manager  or  a  production  engineer. 
In  medium-sized  or  small  plants  he  usuajly  has  other  duties  besides 
directing  training.  He  should  have  an  extensive  knowledge  of 
manufacturing  detail  in  that  plant;  ability  to  analyze  operations,  route, 
and  layout  work;  and  a  faculty  of  getting  on  well  with  employer 
and  men.  He  must  gain  the  co-operation  of  all  instructing  and 
producing  foremen. 

3.  All  training  should  be  on  actual  shop  production.  The  only 
exception  is  perhaps  the  use  of  preliminary  scrap  material  in  work 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  485 

involving  the  handling  of  refractory  material,  such  as  soldering,  blow- 
pipe work,  etc. 

4.  Special  organized  groups  of  instructing  foremen  should  be 
trained  before  the  training  of  the  new  help  begins.  In  a  factory 
where  a  planning  board  has  provided  operation  sheets,  very  little 
additional  is  required  in  laying  out  the  subject  matter  and  sequence 
of  instruction.  Where  operation  sheets  are  not  in  existence  each 
job  must  be  analyzed  and  the  training  arranged  according  to  actual 
condition  of  production.     This  layout  must  be  specified  in  writing. 

5.  The  proper  preliminary  training  of  instructors  is  essential. 

6.  Within  the  plant  the  training  department  must  be  independent. 
It  is  not  employment  management,  welfare  work,  or  production, 
although  it  ties  up  closely  with  these  departments.  Its  success  is 
measured  by  its  output  of  trained  workers,  although  incidentally  it 
makes  a  considerable  output  of  goods. 

7.  Beginners  should  be  trained  especially  for  the  job  each  is 
to  do  and  then  be  transferred  to  the  production  department.  There 
should  be  a  follow-up  from  the  training  department  to  see  that  the 
beginner  is  well  launched  and  proving  competent. 

Plans  for  Installing  a  Training  System.  For  operation  involving 
a  gang  or  group,  such  as  very  heavy  stamping  or  assembling  work, 
a  new  man  working  with  the  gang  quickly  absorbs  information  on 
the  entire  process.  More  than  brief  training  is  not  necessary,  but 
the  subforeman  should  see  that  the  new  man  advances  as  rapidly 
as  possible. 

In  operations  involving  more  technical  knowledge  and  skill,  such 
as  tool-making  (with  little  or  no  repetition  work),  training  is  a 
long,  special  process  requiring  an  apprentice  school  and  specirJ 
instructors.  (See  Training  Bulletin  No.  2,  "A  Successful  Apprentice 
Toolmakers'  School,"  United  States  Department  of  Labor.) 

Where  operations  are  almost  entirely  automatic,  training  can  be 
given  on  the  production  floor.  But  the  gain  in  speed  and  spirit 
obtainable  from  instruction  on  a  separate  bay  or  room  justifies  such 
separate  instruction,  if  possible.  Work  should  be  on  production 
from  the  beginning. 

Operations  in  which  difficulty  depends  not  on  understanding  the 
operation  of  a  machine  but  on  the  handling  of  refractory  materials 
(such  as  blow-flame  welding,  soldering,  and  splicing)  need  a  special 
bay  or  room  and  separate  instructor.  Some  preliminary  practice  on 
scrap  material  may  be  given. 


486  APPENDIX 

For  operations  (usually  machine)  involving  repetition,  it  is  highly 
desirable  to  have  a  separate  room.  Train  on  production  from 
beginning.  Job  setting  may  be  a  special  job.  This  type  of  work 
covers  a  range  from  quantity  production  on  a  standard  operation 
to  many  kinds  of  toolmaking. 

The  director  of  training  determines  from  local  conditions  who 
should  give  the  instruction.  It  may  be  a  production  employee,  a  gang 
foreman  or  subforeman,  intelligent,  teachable,  and  tactful. 

What  to  Teach.  Each  operation  must  be  listed  in  the  order  in 
which  the  operation  is  performed  in  these  terms: 

1.  What  he  must  have.     (Tools,  jigs,  material.) 

2.  What  he  does.  (The  three  or  six  steps  in  mounting  the  tool, 
inserting  the  material,  operating  the  machine,  removing  the  work, 
clearing  the  machine,  etc.) 

3.  What  he  must  know.  (How  to  read  a  blue-print,  set  a  gauge, 
recognize  a  welding  color,  etc.) 

Where  a  planning  board  has  worked  out  planning  sheets  for  each 
operation,  this  information  is  already  listed,  and  each  sheet  furnishes 
the  material  for  a  lesson.  Where  such  sheets  are  not  available  they 
must  be  prepared  by  competent  persons.  This  is  very  important. 
The  things  to  be  taught  should  be  in  writing.  If  a  subordinate 
instructor  tries  to  carry  this  information  in  his  head,  the  effectiveness 
and  speed  of  instruction  are  lessened,  and  a  change  of  instructors 
causes  confusion  and  loss. 

How  to  Teach.    The  instructor  must  realize  importance  of: 

1.  Sympathetic,  helpful  attitude  toward  new  people. 

2.  Preparation  in  advance  of  suitable  machine  set-up,  tools,  and 

materials,  so  that  instruction  may  start  without  delay  or 
confusion. 

3.  Handling  operative  so  as  to  quiet  any  fear  of  the  machine 

and  natural  nervousness. 

4.  Teaching  one  thing  at  a  time  and  not  too  much  at  a  time. 

No  matter  how  small  this  "one  thing"  may  be,  or  how  large,  the 
instruction  steps  are  as  follows: 

Get  the  employee's  undivided  attention,  and  be  sure  he  knows 
what  you  are  talking  about. 

The  instructor's  job  is  to  start  with  what  the  student  knows  and 
then  step  over  to  the  new  thing  and  teach  him  that.  The  "step-over 
spot"  is  very  important. 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  4^7 

Show  or  explain  the  new  thing  so  that  the  operator  understands 
it  and  can  do  it.  It  may  be  a  very  short  and  simple  operation  or  it 
may  be  difficult  or  long.  You  may  do  this  by  the  question-and-answer 
method,  the  "showing-how"  method,  or  the  lecture  method.  These 
are  commented  on  later. 

If  the  presentation  has  been  done  well,  the  operator  has  learned 
the  new  things.  Now  have  him  do  it.  If  he  fails,  notice  his  mistake 
and  correct  it. 

The  question-and-answer  method  is  usually  the  best  method  of 
instruction.  Ask  a  great  many  questions  and  be  sure  the  operator 
answers  each  one  satisfactorily.  Not,  "Do  you  understand  how  to 
do  it?"  but,  "What  is  the  first  thing  to  do?"  "Why  do  you  do  it?" 
"How  do  you  do  it?"    "Now,  let  me  see  you  do  it." 

With  the  "showing-how"  method  the  danger  is  that  the  instructor 
is  doing  it  all.  But  often  it  is  a  good  plan  for  the  instructor  to  show 
how  and  then  at  once  get  the  new  man  to  do  it. 

With  the  lecture  method  the  danger  is  that  the  instructor  does 
it  all,  and  it  is  mostly  talking. 

Organisation.  The  director  and  assistants  on  industrial  training 
should  get  material  for  instructions  from  plan  sheets,  or  if  they 
are  not  available,  make  an  equivalent.  They  should  hold  a  short 
preliminary  meeting  for  instruction  on  methods,  followed  by  short 
meetings  of  all  instructors  once  a  week  to  rouse  co-operation,  con- 
fidence, and  discuss  common  problems.  Head  up  instruction  of 
individuals  in  this  order : 

1.  Relieve  nervousness  or  fear. 

2.  Perform   the   operation   perfectly   and   rapidly,   even   though 

mechanically. 

3.  Develop  industrial  intelligence,  general  knowledge  of  machine, 

the  reasons  for  doing  things,  related  knowledge,  such  as  use 
of  blue-prints,  gauges,  machine  adjustments,  etc. 

4.  Upgrade  selected  operatives  to  more  difficult  operations  or  to 

be  instructors. 
Methods  of  Instruction.  The  instructor  has  a  trade  in  addition 
to  that  of  the  skilled  mechanic — no  matter  how  much  he  knows 
or  how  good  a  workman  he  may  be,  his  value  as  an  instructor  depends 
on  how  thoroughly  and  rapidly  he  can  impart  what  he  knows. 
Imparting,  not  doing,  is  his  job.  The  instructor  familiar  with  the 
principles  and  methods  of  the  teaching  trade  and  practice  in  applying 
them  to  given  training  problems  can  deal  with  any  teaching  job 


488  APPENDIX 

much  more  effectively,  rapidly,  and  intelligently  than  can  the  "rule 
of  thumb"  instructor.  He,  therefore,  as  an  instructor,  has  a  great 
advantage  over  the  untrained  individual,  who  may  have  an  equal 
command  of  the  trade,  because  he  is  able  to  impart  effectively  virhat 
he  knows  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  instruct. 

The  lesson  must  have  a  specific  aim;  it  may  be  short  or  long. 
Preferably,  it  should  be  short.  The  instructor  must  determine  exactly 
what  one  thing  he  wishes  to  "put  over"  in  this  lesson. 

The  learner  must  be  ready  for  that  particular  lesson.  The  teacher 
must  therefore  be  able  to  "locate"  a  given  lesson  or  teaching  unit 
with  regard  to  what  has  already  been  taught  and  what  is  still  to  be 
taught  to  make  the  learner  competent. 

A  very  common  error  is  to  try  to  teach  too  much  in  one  lesson, 
instead  of  breaking  the  content  up  into  a  series  of  sufficiently  small 
teaching  units.  An  instructor  should  not,  for  instance,  lay  out  a 
lesson  to  teach  an  unskilled  person  to  perform  some  operation  on 
the  lathe.  He  has  here  material  for  a  series  of  lessons — one  on 
starting  and  stopping  the  lathes,  one  on  setting  the  tool,  one  on 
determining  the  size  of  the  cut,  one  on  determining  the  speed,  etc. 

The  instructing  process  is  a  series  of  steps  or  "operations." 

An  error  commonly  made  is  that  the  instructor  does  the  thinking 
or  does  the  work  and  the  learner  merely  imitates.  A  problem  of 
the  instructor  is  to  see  that  each  learner  performs  each  successive 
teaching  operation  himself.  What  he  gains  comes  through  his  own 
activity — mental  or  manual;  he  gains  nothing  from  the  mental  and 
manual  activity  of  the  instructor. 

The  instructor  must  concentrate  on  the  lesson.  Do  not  bring  in 
interesting  things  which  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  real  subject  of 
the  lesson.  For  example,  the  lesson  is  on  how  to  sharpen  a  tool. 
Concentrate  on  sharpening  the  tool.  Do  not  bring  in  outside  material 
about  the  manufacture  of  tool  steel. 

The  details  of  steps  in  a  lesson  are  as  follows: 

I.  Preparation.  Somewhere  in  his  past  experience  the  learner 
has  had  some  kind  of  experience  or  some  knowledge  which  can  be 
used  as  a  foundation  for  building  up  the  proposed  lesson.  This 
provides  a  teaching  base  or  foundation  from  which  the  learner  may 
be  led  from  the  thing  which  he  knows  to  the  new  thing  to  be  taught. 
The  problem  here  is  to  start  the  learner  to  thinking  about  something 
which  he  knows  and  to  which  the  instructor  can  "tie"  the  lesson. 
Do  not  slight  this  step.     It  gives  the   instructor  the   interest   and 


INDUSTRIAL   TRAINING  489 

attention  of  the  learner,  so  that  at  the  right  moment  the  instructor 
can  ''put  over"  the  new  information. 

2.  Presentation.  The  instructor  now  presents  to  the  learner  a 
series  of  new  ideas. 

The  demonstration  method  is  usually  the  best.  The  presentation 
is  carried  out  with  the  same  tools,  machines,  and  so  on,  as  would 
be  used  on  the  actual  job.  The  instructor  performs  the  operation, 
making  such  comments  or  asking  such  questions  as  he  goes  along 
as  to  be  sure  that  he  has  the  attention,  the  interest,  and  the  under- 
standing of  the  learner. 

The  method  of  illustration  may  be  used  in  teaching  advanced 
men  and  where  demonstration  is  not  easy.  For  instance,  a  lesson 
on  showing  the  construction  of  a  gas-engine  cylinder  might  be 
accomplished  more  successfully  by  means  of  a  model  cut  to  show 
working  parts  than  by  the  real  engine.  This  method  should  never 
be  attempted  with  learners  who  have  had  no  experience  with  the 
actual  thing  which  is  being  illustrated. 

The  lecture  method  can  be  used  to  advantage  only  with  very 
advanced  students. 

It  is  possible  by  the  experimental  method  to  lead  up  to  the  point 
where  the  pupil  is  inexperienced  and  then  turn  him  loose  to  discover 
correct  practice  by  the  method  of  doing  it  wrong  until  he  discovers 
how  to  do  it  right.  The  learner  taught  by  this  method  will  probably 
never  forget  what  he  learns.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  much  time  is 
consumed,  and  the  learner  is  likely  to  become  discouraged  and  to 
spoil  much  material. 

3.  Application.  The  learner  must  now  be  checked  up  along  two 
lines — (i)  what  does  he  know,  and  (2)  what  can  he  do?  No 
matter  how  carefully  the  man  has  been  taught,  there  will  probably 
be  some  weak  points  which  must  be  corrected.  The  instructor 
watches  the  man  while  he  is  at  work  and  must  be  careful  to 
determine  when  to  assist  the  learner  and  just  how  much  to  assist 
him,  but  in  no  case  should  the  instructor  do  the  work  for  the  man. 
Let  the  learner  do  the  job  and  correct  him  as  he  needs  correction. 

4.  Testing.  If  the  foregoing  steps  have  been  successfully  carried 
out,  the  learner  can  perform  the  operation,  and  the  test  of  this  is 
that  he  turns  out  production  which  is  passed  by  the  inspectors.  If 
he  fails,  it  may  be  due  to  three  causes:  a  poor  learner,  a  poor  in- 
structor, or  poor  teaching  conditions.  It  is  up  to  the  instructor  to 
find  out  which  of  these  three  causes  may  be  responsible  for  failure. 


490  APPENDIX 

Training  vs.  instruction.  By  a  series  of  lessons  like  those 
described  above  the  learner  is  instructed,  but  he  is  not  yet  trained. 
He  must  yet  acquire  trade  intelligence  and  a  general  knowledge  of 
shop  conditions.  This  can  be  secured  only  through  experience — 
that  is,  by  doing  a  lot  of  jobs  under  varying  conditions.  It  is,  there- 
fore, unwise  to  let  a  man  who  has  been  instructed  but  not  yet  fully 
trained,  pass  entirely  from  the  influence  of  the  instructor. 


APPENDIX  C 

INSTRUCTION    TO    INSURE    AMERICANIZATION 
OF   ALIENS^ 

By  A.  H.  Wyman  of  the  Carnegie  Steel  Company* 

Promoting  Attendance  in  English  Classes 

The  term  "Americanization,"  as  used  in  educational  work,  has 
been  exceedingly  general.  However,  the  following  three  elements 
have  formed  the  basis  of  all  schemes  for  teaching  new  Americans: 

1.  The  teaching  of  English. 

2.  Preparation  for  taking  out  second  papers  in  citizenship. 

3.  Preparation  of  the  individual  for  larger  expression  of  himself, 

in  his  home,   his  work,  and  his  community. 

In  the  teaching  of  English,  the  endeavor  has  been  to  develop 
two  vocabularies,  which  may  be  termed  vocational  and  avocational 
vocabularies.  By  vocational  vocabularies  we  mean  those  words  which 
will  be  of  value  to  the  workman  in  his  particular  occupation.  In 
the  avocational  vocabularies  are  included  words  which  are  used  in 
the  home  and  on  the  street.  Courses  that  have  included  both  vocab- 
ularies have  had  wonderful  success  in  teaching  true  American  ideas 
and  ideals.  Often  the  public  school  and  public  library  courses  have 
neglected  the  use  of  the  vocational  vocabulary. 

The  preparation  made  by  non-industrial  agencies  to  bring  their 
pupils  up  to  the  standard  required  by  the  naturalization  courts  often- 
times limits  the  courses  to  the  examination  questions  alone.  In 
doing  this,  we  lose  sight  of  the  main  object  of  Americanization  study, 
which  is  the  teaching  of  true  American  ideas  and  ideals.     The  non- 


iSee  Chapter  XIV. 

2  A  paper  presented  by  A.  H.  Wyman  of  the  Carnegie  Steel  Company,  and  a 
member  of  The  Special  Committee  on  Unskilled  Labor  and  Americanization,  to  the 
Pittsburgh  Chapter  of  the  National  Association  of  Corporation  Schools,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Section  on  Unskilled  and  Semiskilled  Labor,  published  in  the  National  Associa- 
tion of  Corporation  Schools  Bulletin,  January,    1919. 

491 


492  APPENDIX 

American  should  be  taught  the  proper  methods  of  living.  He  should 
grow  to  have  a  different  and  better  attitude  toward  his  work.  A 
stronger  relationship  should  be  fostered  between  the  non-American 
and  community  life.  By  doing  so  he  has  reached  the  height  of  his 
citizenship  work. 

Oftentimes  the  non-industrial  institutions  have  taken  the  attitude 
that  the  education  of  new  Americans  must  be  largely  general,  and 
have  looked  upon  the  institutions  as  being  unappreciative  of  educa- 
tional values,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  industries  have  considered 
Americanization  work  as  being  impractical.  The  industries  have 
often  looked  at  the  problem  only  from  the  viewpoint  of  the  workroom, 
and  have  used  their  welfare  work  and  educational  department  for 
means  of  publicity.  If  a  scheme  whereby  the  viewpoints  of  the 
public  institutions  and  industry  can  be  combined  is  evolved,  a  more 
efficient  work  will  be  accomplished. 

The  agencies  offering  education  for  non-Americans  are  as  follows : 

1.  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  other  semipublic  institutions 

2.  Local  board  of  education 

3.  State  board  of  education 

4.  Local  industries 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  has  extended  its  Americanization  work  to  the 
communities  where  large  numbers  of  non-Americans  have  congre- 
gated, largely  from  the  social  standpoints  through  co-operation  with 
local  industries.  The  industrial  secretary  encourages  local  educa- 
tional agencies  to  carry  on  the  work.  Besides  organizing  classes, 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  has  developed  the  social  instincts  of  the  new 
Americans  by  offering  various  entertainments,  such  as  motion  pic- 
tures, lectures,  patriotic  gatherings,  and  other  cosmopolitan  clubs. 
The  Y.  M.  C.  A.'s  in  the  Atlantic  Coast  cities  have  grasped  this 
opportunity  to  develop  the  non-American  to  an  appreciation  of  his 
own  powers  and  responsibilities. 

The  chambers  of  commerce  in  a  large  number  of  cities  have 
organized  non-American  people  into  definite  educational  activities 
and  a  secretary  is  hired  to  take  charge  of  all  phases  of  this  work. 
They  operate  free  public  evening  schools  strategically  placed  in 
various  foreign  sections  of  the  city,  and  under  direct  supervision 
of  the  superintendent  of  schools.  The  playgrounds'  association 
conducts  recreational  activities  in  the  public  evening  schools  one 
evening  each  week  under  the  supervision  of  the  superintendent  of 


AMERICANIZATION  OF  ALIENS  493 

playgrounds.  The  director  circulates  regular  bulletins  among  the 
industrial  superintendents,  division  heads,  foremen,  and  other  em- 
ployers of  labor,  with  sane  and  healthful  suggestions  to  increase  the 
attendance  of  the  non-English-speaking  men  and  women.  He  should 
obtain  the  close  co-operation  of  all  local  organizations  coming  in 
contact  with  immigrants,  which  would  include  visiting  nurses,  employ- 
ment agencies,  associated  charities,  foreign  societies  (benefits  and 
insurances),  foreign  churches,  public  libraries,  foreign  papers,  foreign 
leaders,  local  press,  various  patriotic  associations,  clerk  of  common 
pleas  court,  clerk  of  United  States  court,  factory  classes  on  request, 
factory  campaign. 

Methods  of  Securing  Attendance  in  English  Schools 

Twice  a  year  campaign  to  secure  large  attendance  of  foreign 
workmen,  by: 

1.  Distribution  of  handbills  in  foreign  section  and  the  plants. 

2.  Distribution  of  large,  colored  night  school  posters. 

3.  Organizing  various  agencies  coming  in  contact  with  foreigners. 

4.  Distribution  of  map  of  city  or  town  location  of  public  evening 

schools;  publication  of  this  map  in  all  daily  and  foreign 
newspapers. 

5.  Factory  surveys  during  one  month  to  secure  data  for  factory 

enrolment. 

6.  Factory  enrolment  at  beginning  of  evening  school   term  in 

September  Night  School  Teachers'  Institute. 

Intersectional  Americanization  conference  with  group  of  large 
employers  of  foreign  labor. 

Securing  employment  for  night  school  pupils  out  of  work. 

In  General 

Gathering  material  on  social  center  activities  in  public  evening 
schools  for  foreigners,  from  which  the  committee  can  make  definite 
recommendations  to  the  public  school  authorities  and  recommend 
suitable  legislation  and  adequate  appropriations. 

Gathering  data  as  to  how  individual  factories  acquired  efficient 
methods  in  handling  the  detail  of  the  Americanization  campaign  in 
their  plants. 

Distribution  of  these  data  in  form  of  bulletins  after  their  con- 
sideration and  analysis  by  the  committee. 


494  APPENDIX 

Definite  effort  to  impress  constantly  upon  the  employers  of  foreign 
labor,  the  economic,  gain  in  increased  industrial  efficiency  secured  by 
sending  workmen  to  the  public  evening  schools. 

Publishing  a  booklet  giving  authentic  information  for  immigrants 
in  cities,  preparing  to  be  American  citizens;  distribution  of  same 
free. 

To  a  degree,  the  chamber  of  commerce  has  assisted  boards  of 
education  to  take  a  broader  and  more  sympathetic  attitude  toward 
local  industries,  and  on  the  other  hand  has  brought  these  industries 
to  appreciate  the  importance  of  establishing  means  of  education. 

The  following  plan  has  been  worked  out  to  increase  attendance 
of  non-English-speaking  workmen  in  the  free  public  night  schools, 
and  in  preparing  them  for  American  citizenship.  This  plan  has 
been  successful  in  dealing  with  smaller  plants  and  factories  through 
the  co-operation  of  the  superintendent  and  foreman. 

1.  Ascertain  how  many  foreigners  are  employed  in  your  plant 
and  how  many  of  them  should  be  attending  night  school  to  learn 
to  speak  English.  For  plants  which  have  instructed  their  employment 
managers  to  keep  a  free  night  school  and  citizenship  record  for 
each  new  man  hired,  this  will  be  a  simple  matter.  A  number  of 
plants  make  a  survey  and  get  this  information.  Uniform  blanks 
for  this  can  be  obtained  from  the  Bureau  of  Americanization. 

2.  Gather  together  all  possible  night  school  pupils  at  noon  hour, 
or  at  such  other  time  as  is  convenient.  Outline  in  a  brief  speech 
or  through  an  interpreter  the  advantages  of  attendance,  and  urge 
them  to  attend  night  school  regularly.  Tell  them  that  on  application 
of  ten  or  more  non-English-speaking  immigrants  promising  to  attend 
regularly,  free  night  school  classes  will  be  opened  in  any  of  the 
city  public  schools  nearest  to  their  residences.  Distribute  handbills 
and  display  same  prominently  on  bulletin  boards,  giving  the  name 
and  location  of  the  free  night  schools  in  operation.  Ask  all  the 
foremen  to  show  the  men  how  to  find  the  school  nearest  to  their 
homes  on  the  map,  and  how  to  get  there. 

3.  From  your  list  of  men  of  foreign  birth  pick  out  the  men  who 
really  need  the  training.  Let  all  the  foremen  help  their  men  to  fill 
out  their  registration  cards  furnished  free  by  the  Bureau  of  Ameri- 
canization. Have  the  foremen  tell  the  men  to  take  these  cards 
with  them  to  school.  Make  up  a  school  attendance  list.  A  sample 
page  of  an  ordinary  timebook  can  be  used  showing  a  good  way 
to  make  up  such  a  roll,  or  blank  cards  can  be  obtained  from  the 


AMERICANIZATION   OF  ALIENS  495 

Bureau  of  Americanization.  Such  a  list  should  contain  the  name 
of  the  employee,  his  check  number,  the  school  he  attends,  and  other 
important  information. 

4.  Having  started  the  men  to  attend  the  schools  on  Monday, 
Wednesday,  and  Friday  evenings,  from  7:15  to  9:00  p.m.,  the  problem 
is  to  see  that  they  do  not  quit  or  get  discouraged.  On  the  last 
school  night  of  each  week  the  teacher  will  give  each  man  a  card 
showing  his  record  of  attendance  for  that  week.  The  men  should 
bring  these  cards  to  work  with  them  and  drop  them  in  a  special 
night  school  box  which  should  be  placed  at  the  gate  through  which 
the  men  enter  and  leave  the  plant.  You  already  have  your  roll 
made  up  when  you  make  your  survey.  Now  the  cards  in  the  box 
should  be  collected  and  used  to  mark  your  roll.  When  the  roll  shows 
that  any  one  of  your  men  has  not  been  at  school  for  a  period  of 
two  weeks,  this  should  be  reported  to  the  foreman  under  whom  the 
man  is  working.  The  foreman  should  in  a  friendly  and  sympathetic 
manner  urge  the  man  to  make  an  effort  to  attend  the  free  public 
night  schools  and  learn  to  speak  English  and  to  become  an  American 
citizen.  This  personal  contact  will  stimulate  regularity  of  attendance 
and  promote  a  better  understanding  between  employer  and  employee. 

Co-operation  Between  Industry  and  the  Community 

It  would  seem  that  the  best  scheme  for  conducting  activities  with 
non-English  employees  is  through  the  co-operation  between  industry 
and  the  community.  At  the  present  time,  education  within  the  indus- 
tries is  conducted  through  one  of  four  forms  of  organization: 

1.  Separate  department  of  education 

2.  Department  of  welfare 

3.  Department  of  labor 

4.  Some  combination  of  these  departments 

All  educational  work  should  be  closely  connected  with  the  welfare 
and  labor  departments. 

At  the  present  time,  industries  are  using  both  voluntary  and 
compulsory  methods  of  securing  attendance  at  English  classes.  When 
the  men  volunteer  to  attend  class  they  are  generally  unpaid  for  their 
time  in  the  classroom.  Where  compulsory  attendance  is  instituted, 
some  industries  pay  for  a  man's  time  and  some  do  not.  In  most 
instances  where  the  individual  is  paid  for  attending  classes,  he  works 
a  full  day  in  the  industry  and  attends  the  class  either  directly  before 
or  directly  after  his  work.     His  time  in  the  classroom  is  then  paid 


49^  APPENDIX 

for  on  the  basis  of  the  average  wage  which  he  receives  in  the  shop. 
Of  the  various  plans  which  are  in  practice  for  securing  attendance 
in  EngHsh  schools  in  industries,  the  one  which  provides  compulsory 
attendance  with  pay  seems  the  most  desirable  for  the  following 
reasons : 

1.  Any  system  which  is  to  reach  all  classes  of  employees  must 
be  compulsory,  because  only  by  insisting  on  attendance  will  a  school 
be  able  to  reach  the  less  ambitious  type  of  man  who,  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  community  and  the  industry,  requires  training  in 
English  just  as  much  as  the  man  who  would  avail  himself  of 
voluntary  opportunities. 

2.  A  purely  compulsory  scheme  without  remuneration  would  tend 
to  result  either  in  dissatisfaction  or  in  the  refusal  of  workmen 
to  continue  to  be  employed  in  the  industry. 

3.  A  voluntary  scheme  with  pay  would  still  fail  to  reach  certain 
individuals  who  would  be  getting  sufficient  pay  to  provide  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  but  would  fail  to  exert  themselves  to  the  extent  of 
regular  attendance  at  a  class  for  the  teaching  of  English.  Irregular 
attendance  in  the  voluntary  system  with  pay  would  tend  again  to 
lead  to  complications  which  would  disturb  labor  conditions  in  the 
industry. 

With  the  co-operation  of  the  superintendent  of  schools  and  the 
superintendent  of  evening  classes,  an  investigation  of  evening  schools 
in  Chicago  was  made.  During  the  year,  of  the  17,631  who  were 
enrolled,  only  7  per  cent  attended  as  many  as  70  out  of  80  evenings 
of  the  session,  and  23  per  cent  attended  less  than  20  evenings.  The 
inference  drawn  from  such  figures  by  those  who  do  not  know  all 
the  facts  is  that  the  immigrant  is  to  blame  for  this  showing.  The 
newspapers  called  attention  to  the  large  number  of  non-English- 
speaking  residents  in  the  South  Chicago  district,  and  the  small  number 
that  had  taken  out  their  citizenship  papers.  The  papers  quite  rightly 
reasoned  that  something  was  wrong.  The  men  who  are  employed 
in  the  steelmills  of  South  Chicago  work  12  hours  a  day  for  one  week 
on  a  day  shift,  and  the  next  week  on  a  night  shift.  The  classes 
the  city  offers  these  men  meet  four  evenings  of  every  week  through- 
out a  term  of  twelve  weeks.  In  order  to  gain  some  first-hand  informa- 
tion as  to  the  reason  why  those  who  desired  to  learn  English  had 
dropped  out  in  such  large  numbers,  the  following  investigation  was 
made.  The  reasons  given  by  560  for  dropping  out  of  these  classes 
were  as  follows: 


AMERICANIZATION  OF   ALIENS  497 

Industrial  causes 169 

Overtime  work 69 

Changed  from  day  to  night  work 37 

Changed  jobs,  unable  to  get  to  school  by  7  p.m 36 

Fatigue  after  the  day's  work 27 

Dissatisfaction  with  school 51 

No  classification  of  students 6 

Discouraged  over  progress 17 

Teacher  unable  to  speak  their  language 22 

Indifference  of  teacher 4 

Change  of  teacher 2 

Illness  or  some  family  difficulty 49 

All  other  reasons 71 

560 

Ways  by  which  a  large  number  of  these  people  might  be  kept 
in  attendance  immediately  suggest  themselves.  The  frequent  forma- 
tion of  new  classes  and  a  follow-up  system  would  secure  the  reat- 
tendance  of  most  of  those  who  leave  on  account  of  illness  or  with 
the  beginning  of  the  busy  season  in  their  trade. 

Chicago  conducts  one  very  interesting  and  successful  day  school 
for  adults  near  the  center  of  the  business  district.  Students  are 
allowed  to  attend  the  whole  day  or  such  part  of  the  day  as  they 
are  free. 

Conclusions 

The  best  scheme  for  carrying  on  education  for  non-English-speak- 
ing employees  is  one  of  co-operation  between  the  industry  and  the 
community.  Wherever  possible  the  industry  and  the  local  school 
should  work  together. 

Each  educational  agency  has  a  distinctive  viewpoint.  The  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  undertakes  its  work  with  a  very  distinct  social  aim.  The 
public  and  state  school  boards  have  a  background  of  educational 
experience  which  should  never  be  ignored.  The  industry  makes 
a  demand  for  the  highest  degree  of  efficiency  in  the  education  of 
its  employees,  and  offers  the  mechanism  for  uniting  educational 
work  with  safety  and  welfare  work.  Too  much  emphasis  cannot 
be  placed  upon  the  necessity  for  the  foreman's  maintaining  a  proper 
attitude    toward    the    men    working   under   him.     In    a   number   of 


498  APPENDIX 

industries,  definite  work  is  being  carried  on  in  the  education  of 
foremen  to  an  appreciation  of  the  opportunities  which  they  have 
for  co-operating  with  Americanization  work,  and  for  becoming  active 
agents  in  carrying  it  on. 

In  view  of  the  preceding  outline  in  which  I  have  attempted  to 
present  a  general  idea  of  some  of  the  existing  conditions  in  Ameri- 
canization work,  I  will  briefly  summarize  a  few  points  that  might 
increase  attendance  of  non-English-speaking  people. 

In  Industry 

1.  Appoint  an  official,  superintendent,  or  foreman  to  be  charged 
with  the  duty  of  urging  immigrant  employees  to  attend  night  school 
to  learn  English.  Such  officials  can  check  up  attendance  and  act 
as  a  clearing  house  of  information  for  employees  and  for  teaching 
them  the  aim  of  the  Americanization  school. 

2.  Post  notices,  printed  in  English  and  the  foreign  languages, 
describing  evening  school  facilities,  and  insert  them  in  the  pay 
envelopes  of  foreign  employees. 

3.  Register  and  list  all  non-English-speaking  employees  for  use 
of  school  officials  and  teachers. 

4.  Enroll  employees  for  English  classes  in  the  plant. 

5.  Hold  plant  meetings  and  invite  school  officials,  teachers,  and 
others  to  talk  to  employees  on  advantages  of  evening  schools,  citizen- 
ship, thrift,  safety,  home-owning,  sanitation,  etc. 

6.  Give  preference  in  making  promotions  to  those  increasing 
their  efficiency  by  attending  night  school. 

7.  Compulsory  attendance  with  pay  may  be  advisable  to  start. 

In  the  Community 

1.  Appoint  committee  on  Americanization  to  co-operate  with 
Bureau  of  Americanization,  to  extend  free  evening  school  facilities. 

2.  Interview  priests  and  clergymen  and  interest  their  active 
support. 

3.  Distribute  notices,  folders,  and  leaflets,  giving  information 
about  evening  school  advantages. 

4.  Open  public  schools  as  social  center.  Activities  to  be  fostered 
by  playground  superintendent  for  evening  school  pupils. 

5.  Unite  heads  of  the  various  foreign  societies  to  meet  with 
committee,  and  give  expression  to  their  viewpoints  on  all  matters 
concerning   their   people. 


APPENDIX  D 

THE   CO-OPERATIVE    STORE^ 
By  Dr.  R.  S.  Quinby,  Hood  Rubber  Company 

The  rapidly  increasing  cost  of  foodstuffs  began  to  be  particularly 
apparent  in  the  fall  of  1916.  We  had,  previous  to  this  time,  con- 
sidered the  establishment  of  a  store  which  would  enable  our  workmen 
to  purchase  the  most  important  articles  of  food  at  a  saving.  It 
was  the  acuteness  of  the  food  situation  during  the  latter  part  of 
1916  that  caused  us  to  take  definite  action  in  this  matter. 

We  decided  on  certain  policies  which  seemed  to  promise  th«». 
greatest  saving  to  our  employees.  We  have  had  no  reason  to  change 
the  fundamentals  then  decided  upon.  The  most  important  of  these 
were  as  follows : 

1.  To  make  the  store  self-supporting  but  not  profitable  to  the 

company. 

2.  The  company  to  furnish  sufficient  capital  for  the  conduct  of 

this  store.  This  is  essential  to  economical  buying,  which, 
of  course,  determines  the  selling  price. 

3.  To  eliminate  in  buying  the  profit  of  the  middle  man;  most 

purchases  to  be  made  in  large  quantities  from  either 
producers,  packers,  brokers,  or  wholesalers,  which  is  fre- 
quently the  secret  of  low  prices.  Sufficient  storage  space 
and  capital  is  necessary  in  such  a  program. 

4.  To  sell   for  cash;  sales  to  be  made   for  cash  only,  payable 

at  the  time  of  purchase.  Credit  is  ruinous.  Deductions 
from  pay  envelopes  increase  overhead  expense  and  invite 
overbuying  (next  week's  money  is  easy  to  spend),  and  lead 
to  mistakes  and  misunderstandings. 

5.  To  eliminate,  so  far  as  practicable,  delivery  of  goods.  Through 

the  use  of  motor  trucks,  large  bundles  may  be  delivered 
within  a  reasonable  distance  at  a  nominal  cost.    One  of  the 


» See  Chapter  XXVII. 

499 


500  APPENDIX 

reasons  for  conducting  the  store  is  to  stimulate  thrift.  A 
well-known  industrial  leader  remarks  that  "good  buying 
stopped  when  the  telephone  came  into  the  house."  It  is 
with  an  idea  of  re-establishing  good  buying  and  thrift  that 
it  is  well  to  encourage  the  buyers  to  carry  home  their  own 
purchases.    This  also  reduces  overhead  expenses. 

These  principles  embody  the  simplest  co-operative  plan  available. 

Misunderstandings  grow  from  ignorance.  To  eliminate  red  tape 
and  make  savings  apparent  and  obtainable  at  the  time  of  purchase 
seems  most  desirable.  Hopes  for  future  co-operative  dividends  are 
apt  to  lose  their  attraction,  and,  especially  among  non-English-speak- 
ing people,  may  be  misunderstood. 

Some  of  the  details  regarding  physical  arrangement  and  manage- 
ment of  a  store  now  in  operation  seem  desirable. 

The  store  occupies  a  one-story  brick  building,  48  ft.  x  48  ft., 
centrally  located  within  the  factory  grounds.  The  main  storage 
warehouse  is  separate  and  occupies  about  3,600  sq.  ft. 

The  store  is  open  twenty  hours  daily  to  accommodate  all  shifts 
of  workmen. 

Arrangement  is  made  whereby  orders  may  be  deposited  in  boxes 
at  the  entrance  of  the  factory.  These  orders  are  collected  and  the 
parcels  made  ready  for  delivery  to  the  man  at  the  end  of  the  shift. 
Although  it  is  preferred  that  this  plan  be  followed,  they  do  allow 
workmen  to  visit  the  store  during  working  hours.  This  is  not 
particularly  serious  as  most  of  their  people  are  on  piecework.  They 
carry  quite  a  complete  line  of  groceries,  fruit,  produce  and  meats, 
such  as  hams,  bacon,  and  sausages,  but  do  not  attempt  to  carry  the 
more  perishable  meats. 

The  store  manager  makes  all  purchases  and  arranges  for  delivery 
to  the  storehouse.  All  goods  are  entered  on  a  receiving  book  upon 
their  delivery.  Invoices  are  sent  to  the  accounting  department  and 
checked  against  the  receiving  book.  After  proper  approvals  they 
are  paid  by  the  company  and  charged  to  the  supply  store  account. 

Sales  slips  are  written  in  duplicate;  both  copies  are  handed  to 
the  customer,  who  gives  them  to  the  cashier;  one  copy  is  retained 
for  the  accounting  department  and  the  other  returned,  receipted,  to 
the  customer,  who  before  receiving  this  parcel  shows  it  to  the  clerk. 
This  also  acts  as  a  pass  for  the  package  at  the  gate. 

Physical  stock  inventory  is  taken  by  a  man  from  the  accounting 
department  at  the  end  of  each  month.     This  is  checked  against  the 


THE   CO-OPERATIVE   STORE  501 

book  inventory.  A  statement  showing  purchases,  sales,  profit  and 
loss  is  made  monthly. 

A  new  price  list  is  issued  frequently,  copies  of  which  are  posted 
on  the  bulletin  boards  and  distributed  to  customers. 

To  determine  a  selling  price  is  rather  difficult.  They  first 
arbitrarily  determine  on  a  percentage  of  sales,  which  was  thought 
would  pay  expenses.  This  was  added  to  the  buying  price  of  the 
goods.  The  percentage  was  nearly  correct,  but  they  found  that  with 
the  rapidly  advancing  price  of  many  articles,  another  difficulty  arose. 
Certain  goods  were  selling  at  a  price  markedly  below  other  stores. 
These  goods  were  sold  out  almost  immediately  and — some  were  resold 
by  their  employees.  Also  the  next  lot  of  goods  bought  made  neces- 
sary a  sharp  advance  in  the  selling  price.  This  led  to  misunder- 
i;tandings.  To  eliminate  this  profiteering  and  misunderstanding,  they 
decided  to  advance  prices  gradually  even  though  the  percentage  was 
slightly  higher  than  what  had  been  determined  upon.  This  was 
offset  by  other  articles  on  which  they  were  unable  to  make  the  neces- 
sary percentage.  In  other  words,  they  placed  the  burden  of  the 
expense  on  some  articles  which  were  rapidly  advancing.  This  method 
required  considerable  manipulating,  but  after  some  experimenting 
they  were  able  to  accomplish  the  result  desired,  successfully.  It  is 
now  very  rare  that  any  considerable  profit  or  loss  shows  on  the 
monthly  report. 

It  is  felt  that  the  venture  has  been  worth  while.  The  fact  that 
the  volume  of  sales  has  continued  to  increase  is  one  of  the  best 
indications  of  the  success  of  the  store.  The  average  saving  to  the 
purchaser  is  fully  15  per  cent.  It  offers  to  the  man  with  the  large 
family  to  support,  an  opportunity  to  increase  the  buying  value  of  the 
dollar.  They  have  never  had  in  mind  that  this  store  would  in  any 
way  influence  the  wages  paid,  but  it  does  certainly  add  to  the  wages 
of  the  man  who  patronizes  it. 


APPENDIX  E 

THE   VISITING   NURSE^ 

The  Cleveland  Hardware  Company^  Cleveland, 

Ohio' 

We  have  had  a  nurse  connected  with  our  institution  for  nine 
years  and  consider  her  one  of  the  most  important  units  of  it.  We 
have  always  employed  the  nurse  through  our  Cleveland  Visiting 
Nurse  Association,  paying  them  a  stated  price,  in  return  for  which 
they  give  us  the  entire  time  of  one  of  their  nurses,  together  with 
their  supervision  and  the  advantage  of  a  source  of  supply  in  case 
of  the  necessity  of  filling  in  on  account  of  absence,  and  also  the 
contact  with  others  in  a  similar  line  of  endeavor. 

Our  nurse  has  always  been  essentially  a  visitor,  keeping  us  in 
touch  with  the  home  conditions  of  our  employees.  She  does  not 
operate  under  any  set  ruling.  Her  visits  are  made  through  a  report 
of  absentees  by  shop  foremen,  by  report  of  sickness  through  the 
notification  of  our  employees'  benefit  association,  and  also  requests 
of  employees.  She  has  a  regular  dispensary  hour,  and  takes  care 
of  minor  dressings  and  the  giving  of  advice  at  that  time.  But  the 
majority  of  this  is  taken  care  of  by  the  attendant  physician  or 
someone  in  regular  attendance  at  the  factory  dispensary.  The  nurse's 
time  in  the  dispensary  does  not  cover  more  than  one  or  two  hours. 
The  employee  can  report  sickness  in  his  family  direct,  or  in  case 
he  hears  of  sickness  in  the  family  of  any  fellow-employee. 

We  enclose  copy  of  report  such  as  made  by  the  nurse.  (Report 
shown  on  page  503.) 

The  nurse  is  free  to  use  her  own  judgment  as  to  whether  it  is  best 
for  her  to  carry  out  a  course  of  instruction,  give  personal  attention, 
report  it  to  other  city  agencies,  or  refer  the  employee  to  their  home 
physician  jor  some  institution.  We  try  not  to  have  any  set  ruling; 
she  is  simply  the  agent  that  carries  out  the  interest  of  the  corporation 

iSee  Chapter  XXVI. 

2  Monthly  Bulletin,  American  Iron  and  Steel  Institute. 

502 


THE   VISITING   NURSE  5^3 


Home  Investigation 

Date  Mar.  5 By  Miss  Illig 

Name  Sam  Unkitch Check  No.  igsS 

Address  3147  St.  Clair Department  Operator  No.  i  Plant 

Nationality  Servian Speak  English  Quite  well. .  .  .Age  2/  Married  No 

Household  Himself 

Wage-earners  Himself 

Apartments  Pays  $7  a  month  for  room,  hoard  at  restaurant  for 

about  75c.  a  day Rent — Board  $ per  month 

Home  conditions 

Statement 
In  United  States         18  months 
Cleveland  17  months 

Cleveland  Hardware  6  months 


Previous  occupation,  Studebaker  Auto  Co.,  Detroit.  Quit  business 
because  hours  were  too  long.  On  Feb.  24,  man  got  a  piece  of  steel  in  his  left 
eye.  Expects  to  return  to  work  to-morrow.  This  man  was  a  teacher  in 
Servia,  driven  out  at  the  time  of  the  German  invasion.  He  is  studying  English 
and  is  very  anxious  to  learn  the  language,  as  he  hopes  to  get  a  position  as 
teacher  when  he  learns  to  speak  English  more  fluently. 


in  the  home  and  in  connection  with  the  living  conditions  of  the 
employee.  It  is  our  endeavor  to  have  the  homes  of  our  employees 
visited  within  one  week  after  they  are  employed,  and  a  social  call 
made  at  least  once  a  year. 


The  Colorado  Fuel  and  Iron  Company.  Denver, 
Colorado 

About  two  years  ago,  visiting  nurses  were  employed  in  some  of 
the  camps  at  the  Colorado  Fuel  and  Iron  Company  and  at  the  steel 
works.  Some  devoted  their  entire  time  to  social  work,  others  to 
social  and  medical  work.  The  object  was  to  ascertain  what  the 
nurses  could  do  to  make  the  families  more  comfortable,  and  protect 
and  improve  their  physical  condition.  It  is  not  an  easy  matter 
always  to  find  nurses  qualified   for  these  positions,  and  still   more 


504  APPENDIX 

difficult  to  make  a  selection  that  would  meet  the  <,pecific  requirements 
of  the  various  camps,  for  conditions  are  far  from  uniform.  While 
all  of  the  nurses  devoted  more  or  less  of  their  time  to  general 
welfare  work,  each  found  it  necessary  often  to  devote  special  atten- 
tion to  specific  matters.  In  some  places  it  was  thought  wise  to  begin 
with  organization  of  clubs,  mothers'  meetings,  industrial  and  school 
gatherings,  boy  scouts  and  camp  fire  girls'  sewing  classes,  story-telling 
hours,  etc.  In  other  camps  more  time  was  devoted  to  visiting  homes, 
teaching  members  of  the  families  the  importance  of  proper  house- 
keeping, the  value  of  fresh  air,  sunlight,  ventilation,  pure  water, 
proper  selection  of  food,  and  eliminating  the  fly. 

A  very  important  part  taken  by  the  nurse  was  in  the  care  of 
the  mother  at  the  time  of  confinement — giving  explicit  instruction 
before  and  after  confinement,  what,  when,  and  how  to  do — so  as  to 
insure  both  the  mother  and  the  child  sure,  safe,  and  rapid 
recovery. 

At  the  steel  works  dispensary  the  nurse  aided  the  doctor  in  dress- 
ing minor  injuries  and  visited  homes.  Hereafter  special  nurses  will 
devote  full  time  to  the  work  at  the  dispensary  and  the  visiting  nurse 
will  give  her  individual  attention  to  district  work.  At  the  camp 
dispensaries  the  nurses  have  worked  in  both  the  dispensary  and  the 
homes. 

To  go  into  details  of  the  nurses*  duties  would  require  more  space 
than  a  letter  would  permit.  It  may  be  added,  however,  that  the 
visiting  nurse's  duty  consists  of  improving  home  conditions  without 
the  disturbing  home  relations,  of  teaching  by  demonstrations,  and, 
if  possible,  of  introducing  newer,  better,  and  easier  ways  of  home- 
keeping.  Medically  she  teaches  that  prevention  is  better  than  cure, 
that  prophylaxis  is  the  ideal.  This  she  must  prove  by  demonstration 
or  meet  with  failure.  Again  and  again  she  must  go  to  the  home  to 
ascertain  results.  All  this  must  be  done  with  greatest  tact.  "Some- 
times she  must  work  through  an  interpreter,  for  forty-two  languages 
are  spoken  among  the  employees  of  the  company.  She  must  over- 
come prejudices,  change  the  ways  of  the  wise,  and  improve  the  methods 
of  the  untaught.  This  must  be  done  without  offense,  which  can  be 
accomplished  only  by  those  who  love  the  life  and  whose  heart  is 
in  the  work.  Our  nurses,  without  exception,  have  proved  themselves 
to  be  well  qualified  and  efficient.  They  have  been  of  great  benefit  in 
making  the  homes  healthful  and  the  individuals,  young  and  old, 
healthier  and  happier. 


THE  VISITING  NURSE  S^S 


The    American    Brass    Company,    Waterbury, 
Connecticut 

The  influence  of  a  woman  in  the  hospital  is  very  noticeable  upon 
the  man  who  comes  there  for  attention.  We  find  that  in  many  cases 
men  who  cannot  speak  English,  and  cannot  understand  what  is  being 
done  for  them,  will  co-operate  with  a  woman  more  readily  than  with 
a  man,  and  accept  the  spirit  of  her  suggestions  and  work.  A  woman 
has  a  decided  influence  with  the  employee's  family  in  securing  his 
return  to  work  after  injury  and  in  encouraging  proper  habits  of  life. 
In  this  connection  we  might  say  that  it  is  our  practice  to  secure 
light  work  for  men  who  return  in  a  weakened  condition  or  with 
partial  disability,  until  they  are  able  to  resume  their  previous  position. 
Just  at  present  we  have  to  employ  many  men  who  have  never  sub- 
mitted to  authority  or  guidance  of  any  kind  and  who  have  little  or 
no  regard  for  the  common  decencies  of  life,  and  we  find  that  they 
must  be  handled  very  carefully  in  order  to  retain  their  confidence. 
It  is  extremely  hard  to  make  them  appreciate  the  workings  of  the 
compensation  law,  and  half-time  benefits,  and  in  this  connection  the 
patience  of  our  nurses  has  proven  valuable  to  the  company. 

Following  is  a  report  of  our  head  nurse,  Miss  Grace  E.  Gilmer: 

"The  duties  of  the  chief  nurse  and  social  worker  lie  in  creating 
good-will  between  the  employer  and  the  employees,  unraveling  mis- 
understandings in  regard  to  what  is  due  the  injured  by  his  employer, 
visiting  the  homes  and  finding  out  existing  conditions,  and  guiding 
as  far  as  possible  in  the  general  welfare  of  the  family,  seeing  that 
the  family  is  not  in  great  need  while  the  wage-earner  is  ill. 

"A  car  provided  by  the  company  makes  it  possible  to  keep  in 
touch  with  the  ill  and  wounded.  Foot  or  leg  cases,  which  otherwise 
would  have  to  be  dealt  with  at  home,  may  be  brought  to  the  dispensary 
or  first-aid  room  for  proper  care  and  attention. 

"As  yet,  as  the  field  is  quite  large  among  five  thousand  employees, 
no  immediate  care  is  given  to  the  expectant  mother,  although  many 
questions  are  asked  by  mothers-to-be  as  to  the  best  way  of  getting 
through  such  a  period." 

The  daily  visits  always  invite  questions  requiring  advice  if  any 
member  of  the  family  is  ill  or  in  trouble.  Should  the  family  prove 
to  be  in  need  the  company  is  ready  and  always  willing  to  help  out. 

We  have  not  gone  very  deeply  into  the  housing  or  food  problem, 


506  APPENDIX 

but  when  it  seems  necessary  the  case  of  the  moment  receives  atten- 
tion. When  the  wage-earner  is  ill  and  does  not  come  under  the 
compensation  law,  every  effort  is  made  to  see  that  he  and  his  family 
are  cared  for  until  such  a  time  as  the  man  is  ready  to  return  to 
work. 

If  a  man  has  been  employed  by  the  company  for  a  number  of 
years  and  has  been  a  faithful  worlAnan,  and  if  the  time  has  come 
when  he  no  longer  is  able  to  keep  on  with  his  duties,  a  generous 
pension  is  provided. 

There  have  been  12,001  cases  of  accident,  and  40,642  dressings 
recorded  in  the  welfare  department  during  one  year. 


WiTHERBEE,      ShERMAN      AND      COMPANY,      MiNEVILLE, 

New  York 

Our  welfare  worker's  duties  may  be  classified  under  three  heads: 

1.  Inspecting  and  visiting  employees'  homes. 

2.  Care  and  instruction  of  children. 

3.  Care  and  instruction  of  mothers  and  babies. 

Inspecting  and  visiting  homes  comprise  a  careful  inspection  of 
each  house  from  cellar  to  attic,  outhouses  and  yards;  a  report  on 
their  condition  is  made.  Overcrowding  is  provided  against  by  a 
comparison  of  the  number  of  occupants  with  the  number  of  rooms. 
The  condition  of  each  room  and  bed  is  looked  into  with  care.  When 
conditions  are  found  unsuitable  or  unsanitary,  the  nurse  explains  to 
tenants  in  what  particulars  and  makes  the  proper  suggestions.  In 
such  cases  the  report  card  is  marked  "to  be  followed  up"  and  if  on 
further  visits  improvement  is  not  shown,  the  tenant  is  made  to 
vacate.  Experience  has  shown  that  ignorance  is  largely  responsible 
for  bad  conditions,  and  in  such  cases  great  pains  and  patience  are 
exerted  before  eviction  is  resorted  to.  Instruction  is  given  in  the 
matter  of  proper  ventilation,  food,  and  clothing.  Garbage  cans  with 
tight-fitting  lids,  and  metal  privy  boxes  are  furnished  and  these 
receptacles  are  emptied  and  cleaned  as  frequently  as  required. 

The  care  and  instruction  of  children  is  brought  about  in  part 
through  the  formation  of  a  "Little  Mothers'  League."  This  at 
present  has  seventy-one  members,  all  of  whom  are  showing  much 
interest  and  doing  good  work  at  home.     They  are  taught  personal 


THE  VISITING  NURSE  507 

cleanliness  and  the  care  of  their  baby  brothers  and  sisters.  In  this 
way  the  mother  learns  much  from  the  "little  mother"  and  has  more 
time  for  household  duties.  The  nurse  reports  that  it  is  surprising 
how  much  that  is  of  value  in  the  home  the  children  really  learn  and 
put  into  practice. 

Thanks  to  rugged  constitutions  the  women  have  little  illness  out- 
side of  confinement,  and  we  are  counting  on  our  maternity  ward 
to  aid  greatly  in  that  important  particular.  It  is  found  that  most 
of  the  sickness  occurs  with  the  children,  and  in  so  far  as  possible 
the  nurse  sees  to  it  that  suitable  food  properly  prepared  is  furnished 
them,  that  the  milk  is  wholesome,  and  that  patent  medicines  and 
alcohol  are  tabooed. 


The  Jeffrey  Manufacturing  Company  Columbus,  Ohio 

Before  leaving  for  her  outside  calls,  the  nurse  personally  over- 
sees redressings,  giving  advice  and  instruction  in  new  injuries  which 
must  be  brought  to  her  attention.  The  majority  of  her  day  is  spent 
in  the  homes  of  employees,  helping  out  in  the  different  problems 
of  sickness  and  distress — giving  advice  and  instruction  to  expectant 
mothers;  to  mothers  as  to  the  care  of  the  child  after  its  arrival; 
diet;  the  care  of  older  children;  advising  in  cases  of  eyes,  ears, 
throat,  and  nose  troubles  prevalent  among  children;  physical  defects, 
with  frequent  recommendations  to  specialists  when  needed;  advice 
as  to  sanitation,  ventilation,  proper  clothing,  and,  in  many  cases, 
domestic  affairs. 

No  real  bedside  nursing  is  done  except  in  emergency  cases  or 
for  the  observation  of  symptoms  to  report  to  the  attending  physician. 
If  the  nurse  finds  on  her  first  visit  to  a  medical  case  that  it  requires 
the  need  of  a  visiting  nurse,  she  reports  it  to  the  Visiting  Nurses' 
Association.  These  cases  are  rare,  however,  and  the  company  nurse 
calls  frequently,  often  daily,  in  order  that  the  family  may  be  assured 
of  the  company's  interest. 


APPENDIX  F 

SUGGESTION    SYSTEM    OF    NATIONAL   CASH 
REGISTER  COMPANY^ 

Considerations  in   Establishing  a  System 

After  investigating  various  suggestion  systems,  the  National  Cash 
Register  Company  offers  the  following  comments  (as  a  guide  to 
those  who  may  be  thinking  of  installing  such  a  system),  relative 
to  its  own  practice,  and  the  practice  of  other  concerns.  It  outlines 
in  a  general  way  the  principles  involved  in  the  establishing  of  a 
suggestion  system  and  also  submits  a  specific  illustration  of  such 
plan  in  operation. 

1.  Careful  attention  to  certain  details  in  working  out  the  plan 
of  a  suggestion  system  is  important.  Be  sure  that  your  heads  of 
departments  are  in  sympathy  with  the  movement  and  are  co-operating 
with  you.  They  can  accomplish  a  great  deal  either  for  or  against 
the  movement  by  talking  with  the  employees  in  their  departments. 
They  must  be  taught  that  their  departments  will  be  stronger  in  propor- 
tion to  their  ability  to  get  the  best  thought  and  co-operation  from  all 
their  employees. 

2.  Be  careful  to  investigate  impartially  and  thoroughly  all  sug- 
gestions received.  Answer  them  whether  adopted  or  not.  If  adopted, 
a  short  notice  of  thanks  will  be  all  that  is  necessary.  If  not  adopted, 
a  note  should  be  written,  stating  why  the  suggestion  could  not  be 
adopted  and  making  it  clear  that  you  appreciate  its  having  been 
submitted  and  would  like  to  receive  others. 

3.  Suggestions  should  not  be  passed  upon  finally  by  the  head 
of  the  department  from  which  they  come,  although,  of  course,  he 
should  be  consulted.  Some  disinterested  person  should  investigate 
the  suggestions.  If  this  can  be  some  official  of  the  company  or  his 
direct  representative,  so  much  the  better.  Our  president  himself  gives 
much  attention  to  the  suggestion  system  and  encourages  it  as  only 
a  superior  officer  can.     Be  liberal  and  adopt  as  many  of  the  ideas 


See   Chapter   XXVI. 

508 


SUGGESTION   SYSTEM — NAT'L   CASH    REGISTER      5^9 

as  you  possibly  can,  whether  of  much  value  or  not  and  thus  encourage 
the  employees  to  offer  other  material. 

4.  Prizes  or  rewards  of  some  kind  should  be  given  to  several 
of  the  employees  submitting  the  most  valuable  suggestions  in  a  given 
time,  say  once  each  quarter  or  once  every  six  months.  It  will  be 
for  the  company  to  decide  what  the  total  amount  of  the  prizes  will 
be,  if  paid  in  cash,  and  also  the  amount  to  be  divided.  Our  sug- 
gestion is  that  instead  of  having  only  two  or  three  prizes,  the  amount 
should  be  divided  so  that  a  number  of  people  will  participate  in  its 
distribution.  The  details  of  this  can  be  announced  by  simply  posting 
bulletins  in  the  shop.  It  would  be  a  good  idea  to  follow  this  up 
by  calling  a  meeting  and  explaining  the  situation  and  thus  getting 
the  employees  to  believe  that  you  honestly  desire  their  co-operation. 
The  bulletins  could  state  what  the  prizes  will  be,  when  they  will  be 
awarded,  who  will  decide  as  to  what  suggestions  are  best,  etc. 

5.  In  addition  to  the  cash  prizes  mentioned  below,  we  give  a 
"Certificate  of  Award"  and  sometimes  a  bronze  medal.  This  is  not 
an  essential  part  of  the  plan. 

6.  Give  some  public  recognition  to  those  whose  suggestions  are 
good.  When  our  concern  was  smaller  we  held  meetings  of  all 
employees  in  some  public  place  that  would  accommodate  them  and 
had  a  program  of  music  and  talks,  and  publicly  awarded  the  prizes, 
in  this  way  officially  recognizing  and  honoring  the  prize-winners. 
This  we  cannot  do  now,  because  of  having  so  many  people,  but  we 
have  a  meeting  of  the  prize-winners,  their  wives,  department  and 
division  heads,  officials  of  the  company,  and  a  few  invited  guests  at 
times.  Usually  this  is  an  evening  meeting  preceded  by  dinner ;  then  a 
program  such  as  is  mentioned  above  is  given.  Afterward  a  small  paper 
is  distributed  to  all  employees,  or  a  bulletin  is  posted  which  gives  the 
names  of  prize-winners  and  sometimes  their  pictures. 

7.  Provide  some  convenient  way  for  the  employees  to  write  out 
and  submit  their  suggestions.  We  use  small  autographic  registers, 
but  this  is  not  necessary.  Their  advantage  is  that  the  employee  has 
a  copy  of  his  suggestion  for  his  own  use,  as  the  record  is  made  in 
duplicate,  the  employees  tearing  off  and  retaining  the  original,  the 
duplicate  being  wound  up  in  the  machine  where  it  is  gotten  by  the 
company's  representative.  Small  locked  boxes  with  slotted  lids  scat- 
tered throughout  the  plant,  one  in  each  department  or  a  couple  in 
the  larger  departments,  perhaps,  with  little  notices  above,  reading, 
"Put  your  suggestions  here,"  would  answer  the  purpose.    If  you  have 


5IO  APPENDIX 

a  system  of  "shop  mail,"  that  can  be  used.  It  should  be  someone's  duty 
then  to  visit  these  boxes  regularly  and  take  out  the  suggestions 
that  are  in  them. 

8.  We  consider  a  complaint  just  the  same  as  a  suggestion,  if  it 
leads  to  an  improvement. 

Rules  for  Suggestion  Systems 

All  employees,  except  pyramid  heads,  supervisors,  department 
heads,  foremen,  job  foremen,  section  heads,  and  sales  agents,  may 
compete. 

Address  suggestions  to  Suggestion  Department,  Building  lo. 

When  two  or  more  employees  submit  similar  suggestions,  the  one 
from  whom  the  idea  was  first  received  will  get  the  credit. 

Write  clearly. 

Describe  the  idea  so  that  it  can  be  readily  understood. 

Date  and  sign  all  suggestions. 

Sketches  should  be  on  separate  sheets,  attached  to  suggestions. 

Any  employee  who  desires  further  information  may  obtain  same 
by  writing  or  calling  the  suggestion  department. 

The  Kind  of  Suggestions  Wanted 

1.  Suggestions  are  desired  on  all  subjects  pertaining  to  the  busi- 
ness, namely: 

(a)  Increasing  co-operation. 

(b)  Improving  the  quality  of  our  work. 

(c)  Decreasing  the  cost  without  decreasing  the  daily  wage  or 

lowering  the  quality. 

(d)  Eliminating  unnecessary  and  duplicating  work. 

(e)  Better  plans  for  shopwork. 

(f)  Increasing  the  sales  of  our  product. 

(g)  Improving  blank  forms. 

(h)  Improving  the  health  of  our  employees. 
(i)    Additional  safety  precautions  to  make  work  less  dangerous, 
(j)    Using  cheaper  tools  and  operations  to  accomplish  the  same 
results. 

2.  Complaints  are  also  desired.  A  complaint  that  leads  to  an 
improvement  receives  the  same  credit  as  an  adopted  suggestion. 

How  the  Suggestions  Are  Handled 

I.  Each  suggestion  is  read  and  classified  according  to  the  subject 
with  which  it  deals. 


SUGGESTION   SYSTEM — NAT'L  CASH   REGISTER     S^I 

(a)  Acknowledged,  entered  upon  the  employee's  record  card,  and 

copied  without  signature. 

(b)  Sent  to  proper  pyramid  head  for  investigation. 

2.  After  investigation,  a  report  is  received  as  to  the  merits  of 
each  suggestion. 

(a)  If  a  suggestion  is  not  adopted,  reasons  are  given. 

(b)  If  adopted,   the   suggestion   is  put   into   effect  as   soon   as 

practicable. 

3.  In  each  case  the  employee  is  notified  whether  his  suggestion  is 
adopted  or  not,  and  if  not,  why. 

4.  Sometimes  employees  ask  that  a  reinvestigation  of  their  ideas 
be  made.    We  are  always  glad  to  do  this. 

5.  Complaints  are  handled  by  some  member  of  the  suggestion 
department  personally. 

Prizes 

The  employee  submitting  the  best  adopted  suggestion,  or  sug- 
gestions will  receive  $100. 

The  employee  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions  will 
receive  $75. 

The  employee  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions  will 
receive  $50. 

The  employee  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions  will 
receive  $30. 

The  three  erhployees  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions 
will  receive  $25  each. 

The  six  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions  will 
receive  $20  each. 

The  thirty-five  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions 
will  receive  $10  each. 

The  eighty  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted  suggestions 
will  receive  $5  each. 

The  total  number  of  prizes  to  be  awarded  is  128. 

How  the  Prize  List  Is  Made  Up 

All  the  adopted  suggestions  submitted  by  an  employee  are  con- 
sidered together  in  awarding  prizes,  so  that  one  might  submit  a 
number  of  minor  suggestions  and  still  win  a  big  prize. 

There  is  a  committee  which  awards  prizes. 


512  APPENDIX 

The  committee  studies  the  adopted  suggestion  very  carefully,  and 
places  a  valuation  on  each  one.  Then  the  suggestions  are  classified 
and  the  prizes  are  awarded  accordingly. 

Five  points  considered  in  awarding  the  banner: 

1.  Total  prize  money 

2.  Number  of  prize-winners 

3.  Number  of  adopted  suggestions 

4.  Average  prize  money  per  adopted  suggestions 

5.  Average  prize  money  for  employee  in  department 

Remarks  Concerning  Operation  of  Suggestion  System 

1.  Special  contests  are  occasionally  held  for  heads  of  departments 
and  assistants,  but  not  regularly.  They  do  not  compete  for  the 
ordinary  prizes.  We  have  just  closed  a  special  contest  of  this  kind 
which  proved  to  be  very  successful. 

2.  Personnel  of  the  suggestion  committee  is  composed  of  our 
factory  superintendent,  first  assistant,  assistant  sales  manager,  comp- 
troller, chief  engineer,  chief  inspector,  head  of  the  office  systems 
department,  and  head  of  the  employment  department.  This  committee 
meets,  however,  only  when  deciding  on  prize-winners,  which  is  semi- 
annually. The  suggestions  are  handled  by  the  head  of  the  employ- 
ment department  up  to  the  time  of  calling' the  committee  together. 

3.  When  it  is  convenient  to  do  so,  we  consult  the  heads  of 
departments  regarding  suggestions  which  affect  the  work  coming 
under  their  supervision.  This  is  not  done  until  after  the  contest 
closes.  It  is  intended  to  make  sure  that  the  suggestion  is  carried 
out  in  the  way  designated  by  the  committee. 

4.  We  award  prizes  before  suggestions  are  put  into  effect;  that 
is,  we  do  not  hold  any  suggestion  from  one  contest  to  another  waiting 
for  them  to  be  put  into  operation. 

5.  We  use  various  methods  to  stimulate  interest  and  acquaint 
new  employees  with  the  plan.  We  distribute  bulletins,  special 
bulletins,  etc.,  show  slides  at  our  noon-hour  entertainments,  articles 
in  our  NCR  News,  and  at  the  close  of  the  contest  publish  the  names 
of  the  prize-winners,  giving  a  banquet  to  the  prize-winners,  those 
having  suggestions  adopted  but  not  winning  a  prize,  and  officers 
of  the  company,  supervisors,  heads  of  departments,  etc.  The  prize- 
winners are  also  given  a  bronze  medal  and  an  appropriate  certificate 
certifying  that  they  are  prize-winners. 


APPENDIX  G 

THE    ANNUITY    AND    BENEFIT    PLAN    OF    THE 
STANDARD  OIL  COMPANY  OF  NEW  JERSEY^ 

Part  I — Administration 

This  plan  shall  be  administered  under  the  direction  of  the  board 
of  directors,  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  board,  known  as  the 
"Annuities  and  Benefits  Committee." 

This  committee  shall  employ  a  secretary  and  such  other  help 
as  may  be  needed.  It  shall  determine  conclusively,  for  all  parties, 
all  questions  arising  in  the  administration  of  this  plan,  with  the 
exception  that  all  decisions  concerning  the  granting  of  regular  and 
special  annuity  allowances  shall  be  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
board. 

Part  II — Annuities 

Section  i.  Eligibility.  All  employees  of  this  company  are  eligible 
for  retirement  on  annuity  under  the  following  conditions: 

(a)  Regular  Retirement.  All  men  who  have  reached  the  age 
of  65  years,  and  women  55  years,  and  who  have  been  20  years  or 
longer  in  the  service  shall  be  retired  on  a  regular  allowance,  unless, 
in  individual  cases,  at  the  request  of  the  employee,  some  later  date 
be  fixed  by  the  board  of  directors  for  such  retirement. 

(b)  Retirement  at  Request  of  Employee  or  at  Discretion  of 
Board.  Any  man  who  has  reached  the  age  of  55  years,  or  any 
woman  50  years,  who  has  been  30  years  or  longer  in  the  service,  or 
any  man  who  has  reached  the  age  of  60  years,  who  has  been  20 
years  or  longer  in  the  service,  may  be  retired  on  a  regular  allowance, 
either  at  his  or  her  request,  with  the  approval  of  the  board,  or, 
without  the  request  of  the  employee,  at  the  discretion  of  the  board. 

(c)  Retirement  at  Discretion  of  Board.  Any  employee  who  has 
been  10  years  or  longer  in  the  service  and  who  by  physical  examina- 


»  See  Chapter  XXVI. 


514  APPENDIX 

tion  is  shown  to  be  permanently  totally  incapacitated  for  service, 
or  whose  retirement  on  account  of  advancing  years  is,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  board,  advisable,  may,  at  the  discretion  of  the  board, 
be  retired  and  granted  a  regular  or  a  special  allowance. 
Section  2.    Amount  of  Payments. 

(a)  The  payments  for  regular  allowances  which  the  board  may 
authorize  under  this  plan  shall  be  as  follows:  For  each  year  of 
active  service  an  allowance  of  2  per  cent  of  the  average  annual 
pay  during  the  ten  years  next  preceding  retirement;  but  no  regular 
allowance  shall  be  less  than  $300  per  annum  or  more  than  75  per  cent 
of  such  average  annual  pay.  A  retired  employee  whose  annual  pay 
during  the  ten  years  next  preceding  his  retirement  has  averaged 
$1,080,  or  $90  per  month,  and  whose  period  of  service  under  the 
rules  has  been  25  years,  will  receive  50  per  cent  of  $90,  or  $45  per 
month. 

(b)  The  amount  and  duration  of  each  special  allowance  shall  be 
determined  by  the  board. 

Section  3.    General  Annuity  Rules. 

(a)  Annuities  are  to  be  paid  monthly  by  check  to  the  order  of 
the  annuitant,  mailed  to  his  or  her  address. 

(b)  Annuities  terminate  at  the  death  of  the  employee,  but  the 
Board  may,  at  its  discretion,  in  the  case  of  annuitants  not  entitled 
to  death  benefits,  continue  the  annuity  to  needy  dependents  for  a 
period  not  to  exceed  one  year,  payment  or  payments  to  be  made 
in  such  manner  as  the  board  may  direct. 

(c)  No  one  retired  under  this  plan  shall  be  barred  from  engaging 
in  any  business  not  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of  this  company,  but 
he  cannot  re-enter  the  service.  (Note:  In  Part  IV,  Section  12, 
employees  are  given  a  definite  guarantee  by  the  company  that  regular 
annuities  once  granted  in  accordance  with  this  plan,  will  be  continued 
for  the  life  of  the  annuitant.) 

Part  III — Death  Benefits 

Section  i.  Death  from  Sickness  (including  accidental  injury  not 
incurred  in  actual  performance  of  duties  of  employee's  occupation). 

(a)  Eligibility.  All  employees  of  one  year's  service,  including 
future  annuitants,  shall,  without  any  contribution  on  their  part,  be 
eligible  to  death  benefits,  in  accordance  with  the  following  plan. 

(b)  Amount  of  Benefits.    The  death  benefits  payable  under  this 


BENEFIT   PLAN — STANDARD   OIL  CO.  5^5 

section  of  the  plan,  to  the  beneficiaries  and  subject  to  the  conditions 
provided  in  subsequent  paragraphs '  of  this  section,  shall  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  following  table,  with  a  minimum  of  $500  and  a 
maximum  of  $2,000: 

(i)  For  I  year's  service,  3  months'  full  pay. 

(2)  For  2  years'  service,  5  months'  full  pay. 

(3)  For  3  years'  service,  7  months'  full  pay. 

(4)  For  4  years'  service,  9  months'  full  pay. 

(5)  For  5  years'  service  and  over,  12  months'   full  pay. 

(c)   Beneficiary.     The  death  benefits,   in  case  of  an  employee's 
death  by  sickness,  shall  be  payable    (subject  to  Section  6  of  Part 
III)  to  beneficiaries  in  the  following  order  of  preference: 
(i)  The  employee's: 

Widow  or  widower. 

Children  in  equal  shares.  Payment  to  be  made  to  sur- 
viving parents  and  adult  children  as  trustees  for  the 
equal  benefit  of  the  employee's  children.  Should  any 
child  have  died  before  the  employee,  his  or  her  share 
shall  be  payable  in  equal  parts  to  such  child's  children 
then  living. 
Parents  or  the  survivor  of  them. 

Other  blood  relation  dependent  upon  the  employee  to  the 
extent  of  at  least  20  per  cent  of  his  or  her  wages. 
(2)  In  cases  where  no  person  included  in  the  first  four  classes 
above  is  dependent  upon  the  employee  to  the  extent  of 
at  least  20  per  cent  of  his  or  her  wages,  the  employee 
may,  with  the  written  consent  of  the  company,  designate 
a  beneficiary  outside  of  the  above  four  classes,  in  which 
event  the  amount  of  insurance  shall  be  $500. 

Section  2.  Death  from  Accident  (incurred  while  on  duty). 
For  employee  without  regard  to  length  of  service  whose  death  is 
caused  by  accidental  injury  incurred  while  the  employee  was  engaged 
in  the  actual  performance  of  the  duties  of  his  occupation. 

(a)  If  any  state  compensation  law  applies,  payment  will  be  made 
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  and  conditions  of  such  law. 

(b)  If  no  compensation  law  applies,  payment  will  be  made  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  and  conditions  of  the  elective  com- 
pensation section  of  the  Workmen's  Compensation  Law  of  New 
Jersey. 


5l6  APPENDIX 

Section  3.  If  an  employee  dies  during  disability  from  accident 
or  sickness,  the  death  benefit  which  may  be  payable  shall  not  be 
subject  to  deduction  of  previous  payments  of  disability  benefits. 

Section  4.  Death  benefits  shall  not  be  payable  in  the  case  of 
any  person  who  dies  after  he  has  ceased  to  be  an  employee  of  the 
company,  unless  such  person  suffered  disability  by  reason  of  accident 
or  sickness  while  an  employee  and  such  disability  continued  until 
death,  to  such  a  degree  as  to  prevent  engagement  in  any  gainful 
occupation.  In  such  cases  death  benefits  shall  be  payable,  provided 
the  company  has  been  furnished,  from  time  to  time,  such  proof  of 
continued  disability  as  it  may  require,  and  provided  the  company  has 
been  permitted  to  make  or  have  made  by  a  physician  such  examination 
of  the  disabled  person  as  it  may  deem  necessary  in  order  to  ascertain 
his  condition. 

Section  5.  For  the  purpose  of  determining  the  amount  of  death 
benefits  payable  under  this  plan,  one  month's  full  pay  shall  be,  in 
the  case  of  a  wage-earner,  one-twelfth  (1/12)  of  his  earnings,  not 
including  overtime,  when  working  full  time  for  a  year,  at  the  rate 
of  pay  at  the  date  this  plan  is  issued,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  he 
completes  one  year's  service;  in  the  case  of  a  piece-worker,  one 
month's  full  pay  shall  be  based  on  his  actual  earnings,  not  including 
overtime,  for  the  last  twenty-six  (26)  days  he  worked  full  time 
prior  to  the  date  of  this  plan  or  prior  to  his  completing  a  year's 
service.  Adjustments  shall  be  made  on  January  ist  of  each  suc- 
ceeding year  to  conform  to  length  of  service  and  to  any  changes 
of  rate  of  pay. 

Section  6.  Payment  of  Death  Benefits.  Upon  receipt  of  satis- 
factory proof  of  the  death  of  an  employee  eligible  to  death  benefits, 
preliminary  payment  not  exceeding  $150  will  be  made  to  cover  funeral 
expenses ;  the  remaining  amount  due  will  be  paid  to  the  beneficiaries 
in  12  equal  monthly  instalments,  unless  at  the  discretion  of  the 
company  it  may  appear  desirable  to  make  payment  in  one  lump  sum, 
or  in  such  number  of  instalments  as  may  be  better  fitted  to  the  needs 
of  the  beneficiary.  These  payments  will  be  at  intervals  of  not  less 
than  one  month,  and  covering  a  period  not  to  exceed  one  year.  Death 
benefits  payable  under  this  plan  shall  either  be  payable  by  the 
company  direct  to  the  beneficiary  or,  if  the  board  elects,  through 
a  policy  of  insurance  placed  with  a  regularly  organized  insurance 
company,  in  which  case  an  individual  certificate  shall  be  given  the 
employee  showing  amount  of  insurance  payable  to  the  designated 
beneficiary. 


BENEFIT   PLAN — STANDARD   OIL  CO.  5^7 

Part  IV — Accident  Disability  Benefits 

For  accidents  incurred  by  employee  while  engaged  in  the  actual 
performance  of  the  duties  of  his  occupation,  disability  benefits  will 
be  paid  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  State  Workmen's 
Compensation  Law  applicable  to  the  case.  In  case  such  injured 
employee  does  not  come  within  the  provisions  of  the  Workmen's 
Compensation  Law  of  any  state,  disability  benefits  will  be  paid  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  and  subject  to  the  conditions  of  the 
Workmen's  Compensation  Law  of  New  Jersey. 

Part  V — Sickness  Disability  Benefits 

Section  i.  For  disability  of  more  than  7  consecutive  days  result- 
ing from  sickness  (including  accidental  injury  not  incurred  in  actual 
performance  of  duties  of  employee's  occupation),  for  all  employees 
of  one  year's  service  (at  least  thirteen  weeks  of  which  shall  be 
continuous  service  immediately  preceding  the  disability),  benefits  of 
one-half  wages,  in  monthly  or  biweekly  instalments,  will  be  paid  as 
follows : 

(a)  For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  one  year  but 

less  than  two  years  .  .  ,  not  exceeding  6  weeks. 

(b)  For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  two  years 

but  less  than  three  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  11  weeks. 

(c)  For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  three  years 

but  less  than  four  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  16  weeks. 

(d)  For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  four  years 

but  less  than  five  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  21  weeks. 

(e)  For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  five  years 

but  less  than  six  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  26  weeks. 

(f)  For  employee  whose   term  of  service  has  been  six  years 

but  less  than  seven  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  31  weeks. 

(g)  For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  seven  years 

but  less  than  eight  years.  .  .  not  exceeding  36  weeks, 
(h)   For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  eight  years 

but  less  than  nine  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  41  weeks, 
(i)    For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  nine  years 

but  less  than  ten  years  .  .  .  not  exceeding  46  weeks, 
(j)    For  employee  whose  term  of  service  has  been  ten  years 

and  over  .  .  .  not  exceeding  52  weeks. 


5l8  APPENDIX 

In  case  total  and  permanent  disability  results,  benefits  for 
employees  in  class  (j)  will  be  continued  for  an  additional 
26  weeks. 

Section  2.  Relapse.  If  an  employee  has  received  or  qualified 
for  sickness  disability  benefits  for  any  period  and  is  again  absent 
on  account  of  a  relapse  within  two  weeks  after  the  termination  of 
such  period,  benefits  may,  in  case  of  such  relapse,  be  paid  for  dis- 
ability of  less  than  seven  days. 

Section  3.  As  to  Limit  of  Amount  of  Sickness  Disability.  Suc- 
cessive periods  of  sickness  disability  in  respect  of  which  benefits 
are  payable  shall  be  added  together  in  determining  whether  an 
employee  has  received  the  maximum  amount  to  which  he  is  entitled 
under  Section  i,  until  a  period  of  thirteen  weeks  of  continuous 
performance  of  duty  shall  have  intervened,  after  which  a  new  reckon- 
ing shall  be  begun. 

Section  4.  For  the  purposes  of  determining  the  amount  of  sick- 
ness benefits  payable  under  this  plan,  one  week's  wages  shall  be,  in 
the  case  of  a  wage-earner  or  salaried  employee,  one  fifty-second 
(1/52)  of  his  earnings  (not  including  overtime)  when  working  full 
time  for  a  year,  at  the  rate  of  pay  at  the  time  the  disability  began, 
and  in  the  case  of  a  piece-worker,  six  (6)  times  his  average  daily 
actual  earnings  (not  including  overtime),  for  the  last  twenty-six 
(26)  days  he  worked  full  time  prior  to  the  time  disability  began. 

Section  5.  In  case  of  disability  directly  or  indirectly  due  to 
intoxication  or  to  the  use  of  alcoholic  liquors  as  a  beverage  or  to 
the  use  of  stimulants,  drugs,  or  narcotics  or  to  unlawful  acts  or 
immoralities  or  to  fighting,  unless  in  self-defense  against  unprovoked 
assaults,  or  to  other  encounter,  such  as  wrestling,  or  scuffling,  or 
to  injury  received  in  any  brawl  or  in  any  liquor  saloon,  gambling 
den,  or  other  disreputable  resort,  or  to  the  wilful  intent  of  the 
employee  to  injure  himself  or  another,  or  to  venereal  disease,  no 
right  to  sickness  benefits  under  these  regulations  shall  exist. 

Part  VI — General  Rules 

Section  i.  The  rights  to  benefits  under  this  plan  will  continue 
only  during  the  period  that  employee  is  in  the  service  of  the  company 
except  otherwise  herein  stated.  Employees  retired  on  annuity  after 
the  adoption  of  this  plan,  but  not  those  previously  retired,  will  be 
considered  as  "in  the  service"  for  the  purpose  of  the  death  benefits. 


BENEFIT   PLAN — STANDARD  OIL  CO.  519 

All  employees  heretofore  or  hereafter  retired  by  annuity  will  not  be 
entitled  to  sickness  or  accident  benefits. 

Section  2.  Length  of  Service.  In  reckoning  the  term  of  service 
of  an  employee,  credit  will  be  given  for  the  time  in  full  active  service. 

(a)  With  the  Standard  Oil  Company  (New  Jersey). 

(b)  With  any  company  which  is  or  has  been  owned  or  controlled 

by  the  Standard  Oil  Company  (New  Jersey)  both  prior  to 
and  during  the  period  of  such  ownership  or  control. 

(c)  Also  with  any  predecessor  of  any  such  owned  or  controlled 

company,  provided   employee   was   on   its  pay-roll  at  the 
time  of  the  transfer  of  control. 

Periods  of  more  than  30  days  when  employee  has  been  off  the 
pay-roll,  shall  be  deducted  in  computing  the  length  of  active  service. 

Section  3.  Proof  of  age,  when  required,  shall  be  either  by  copy 
of  birth  certificate,  or  by  affidavit,  stating  time  and  place  of  birth, 
and  the  company's  records  concerning  an  employee's  length  of  service 
and  his  or  her  average  earnings,  in  salary  or  wages,  shall  be  con- 
clusive for  the  purpose  of  this  plan. 

Section  4.  Notice  of  Disability.  Every  employee  who  shall  be 
absent  from  duty  on  account  of  sickness  or  injury  must  at  once 
notify  his  immediate  superior,  and  the  employee  shall  not  be  entitled 
to  benefits  for  time  previous  to  such  notice  unless  delay  shall  be 
shown  to  have  been  unavoidable.  All  claims  for  disability  benefits, 
to  be  valid,  must  be  made  within  two  weeks  from  the  date  of  accident, 
or  from  the  first  day  of  absence  on  account  of  sickness,  unless  satis- 
factory reason  for  delay  is  funjished. 

Section  5.  Leave  of  Absence.  Employees  absent  from  duties  for 
more  than  one  day  for  other  cause  than  sickness  or  accident,  without 
leave  of  absence  or  temporary  layoff,  may  forfeit  their  rights  to 
either  disability  or  death  benefits.  Employees  on  regular  leave  of 
absence  or  temporarily  laid  off  for  not  more  than  30  days,  and  not 
engaging  in  a  gainful  occupation  elsewhere,  shall  be  eligible  for 
sickness  benefits  the  same  as  if  in  active  service.  Such  leave  of 
absence  or  temporary  layoff  may  be  extended  to  90  days  and  not 
affect  employee's  eligibility  for  death  benefits. 

Section  6.  Evidence  of  Disability.  To  entitle  employee  to  sick- 
ness benefits,  satisfactory  evidence  of  physical  disability  to  work, 
by  reason  of  sickness,  must  be  furnished.  The  decision  as  to  when 
employees  are  disabled  and  when  they  are  able  to  work  shall  rest 


520  APPENDIX 

with  a  doctor  employed  by,  or  approved  by  the  company.  Evidence 
as  to  disability  entitling  employee  to  accident  benefits  shall  be  in 
conformity  with  the  state  compensation  law,  if  any,  applicable  to 
the  case;  otherwise  in  conformity  with  the  elective  compensation 
section  of  the  Workmen's  Comf)ensation  Law  of  New  Jersey. 

Section  7.  A  disabled  employee  shall  not  be  entitled  to  benefits 
if  he  declines  to  permit  the  company  doctor,  from  time  to  time, 
to  make  such  examinations  as  may  be  necessary  in  order  to  ascertain 
the  employee's  condition,  or  if  he  fails  to  give  proper  information 
respecting  his  condition ;  or  if  he  prevents  the  necessary  examination 
by  absenting  himself  from  home  without  arranging  with  the  company 
doctor,  or  if  he  fails  to  comply  with  notice  to  meet  the  doctor  at  his 
office  or  elsewhere  when  his  condition  or  location  permits  of  his 
doing  so. 

Section  8.  Disabled  employees  must  take  proper  care  of  them- 
selves, and,  when  needed,  have  medical  attention,  at  their  own 
expense,  by  a  legally  qualified  physician.  Benefits  will  be  discontinued 
to  employees  who  refuse  or  neglect  to  follow  the  recommendations 
of  the  company  doctor. 

Section  9.  Employees  shall  not  be  entitled  to  receive  disability 
1  enefits  for  time  for  which  any  wages  are  paid  them  by  the  company. 

Section  10.  Limit  of  Amount  of  Disability  Benefits.  If  an  em- 
ployee who  has  received  sickness  disability  benefits  shall  subsequently 
become  disabled  by  reason  of  accidental  injury  arising  out  of  and 
in  the  course  of  employment  by  the  company,  or  if  an  employee 
who  has  received  accident  disability  benefits  shall  subsequently  become 
disabled  by  reason  of  sickness,  the  period  during  which  benefits  are 
payable  on  account  of  such  subsequent  disability  shall  not  be  affected 
by  the  preceding  period  of  disability.  Benefits  shall  not  be  payable 
for  both  accident  and  sickness  at  the  same  time  to  the  same  person. 

Section  11.  Annuities  and  benefits  payable  under  this  plan  shall 
be  non-assignable  and  an  attempted  transfer  or  pledge  of  the  same 
will  not  be  recognized  by  the  board  and  may,  at  its  discretion,  work 
a  forfeiture  thereof.  They  shall  not,  under  any  circumstances,  be 
or  become  an  asset  of  a  decedent's  estate. 

Section  12.  The  annuities  and  benefits  granted  employees  in 
accordance  with  this  plan  have  no  relation  whatever  to  the  determina- 
tion of  the  amount  of  wages  or  salaries  to  be  paid  by  this  company, 
but  are  granted  as  a  voluntary  reward  for  and  in  appreciation  of 
faithful  and  efficient  service,  and  as  an  incentive  to  further  service. 


BENEFIT   PLAN — STANDARD   OIL  CO.  5^1 

applicable  to  all  employees,  including  officials,  on  equal  terms.  This 
plan  shall  not  be  construed,  however,  as  giving  any  employee  the 
right  to  be  retained  in  the  service  of  the  company,  or  any  right 
or  claim  to  an  annuity  or  allowance  after  discharge  from  the  service 
of  the  company,  unless  the  right  to  such  annuity  or  benefit  has 
accrued  prior  to  such  discharge. 

The  company  reserves  the  right,  at  any  time,  at  its  discretion, 
to  withdraw  or  modify  this  plan  either  as  to  annuities  or  benefits; 
the  company  guarantees,  however,  that  when  a  sickness  disability 
has  accrued  to  any  employee,  sickness  benefits  will  be  paid  to  such 
employee  in  accordance  with  the  provisions,  and  subject  to  the  condi- 
tions, of  this  plan  as  it  is  in  effect  at  the  time  such  disability  occurs. 
As  to  death  benefits,  the  company  guarantees  that  they  will  be  paid 
in  accordance  with  the  plan  as  it  is  in  effect  at  the  date  of  employee's 
death.  As  to  annuities,  the  company  guarantees  that  when  once 
an  annuity  has  accrued  and  been  granted  as  a  regular  allowance, 
it  will  be  continued  for  the  life  of  the  annuitant,  subject,  however, 
to  the  provisions  of  this  nlan,  as  it  is  in  effect  at  the  time  such 
annuity  is  granted. 

To  assure,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  permanence  of  this  annuity 
plan,  the  company  has  set  aside  a  fund  estimated  as  sufficient  to 
cover  its  liability  on  account  of  the  present  annuity  roll.  To  this 
fund  it  is  proposed  to  add  such  annual  appropriations  as  may  be 
necessary  to  maintain  the  fund  in  the  proper  ratio  to  the  total 
annuities  then  in  force.  Should  these  appropriations  prove  by  ex- 
perience to  be  in  excess  of  an  amount  that  in  the  opinion  of  the 
board  is  justifiable,  the  board  reserves  the  right  to  reduce  the  rate 
of  all  annuities  to  be  granted  to  employees  retired  thereafter. 


APPENDIX  H 

THE  EDUCATIONAL   DEPARTMENT   OF   THE 
NATIONAL    CITY    BANK^ 

Function 

The  function  of  the  educational  department  is: 

1.  To  plan  and  conduct  for  the  employees  educational  courses 

especially  adapted  to  their  needs. 

2.  To  give  information  to  the  employees  about  desirable  lectures 

and  courses  offered  in  Greater  New  York,  and  to  advise 
them  in  their  selections. 

3.  To  bring  to  the  attention  of  the  employees  timely  articles  and 

reference  works  bearing  on  their  various  interests. 

Description 

Place  in  the  Organisation.  The  work  of  the  educational  depart- 
ment is  directly  under  the  supervision  of  the  comptroller  and  the 
education  committee.  It  is  closely  connected  with  the  welfare  of 
every  member  of  the  bank's  large  family.  The  educational  director 
is  in  close  touch  with  the  students,  learns  their  needs,  plans  and 
organizes  the  classes,  and  makes  recommendations  to  the  committee 
on  all  matters  pertaining  to  educational  work. 

Relation  to  the  City  Bank  Club.  Having  grown  from  the  desire 
of  a  few,  several  years  ago,  for  such  education  as  would  fit  them 
to  be  better  bankers,  the  educational  work  has  now  become  the  most 
important  function  of  the  City  Bank  Club,  and  holds  a  unique  posi- 
tion in  the  educational  world.  The  bank  lays  the  strongest  emphasis 
upon  the  value  of  education,  both  in  its  economic  and  cultural  aspects. 
In  the  club's  constitution  the  first  object  enumerated  is:  "The  advance- 
ment of  its  members  along  educational  lines.'* 

Classes.  At  the  present  time  the  students  are  offered  courses 
ranging  from  elementary  classes  (for  the  boys)  to  advanced  courses 


iSee  Chapter  XXVII. 


EDUCATIONAL  DEPT. — NATIONAL  CITY  BANK       S^S 

in  banking,  credit,  foreign  exchange,  and  modern  languages.     The 
subjects  offered  are  grouped  under  the  following  headings: 

1.  Training  classes :  page,  messenger,  and  advanced  stenography, 

for  increasing  technical  efficiency. 

2.  Preparatory  courses:  to  stimulate  the  interest  of  the  younger 

employees  in  educational  development. 

3.  Professional    courses:    Bank    organization,    credit,    etc.,    for 

developing  bankers. 

4.  General  educational  courses:  round-table  discussions  of  cur- 

rent problems,  lectures,  etc.,  to  broaden  the  outlook. 

Records  and  Statistics.  The  department  keeps  records  of  all 
class  attendance  and  scholarship  and  permanent  educational  records 
which  reflect  the  progress  of  the  students,  compiles  all  necessary 
statistics,  and  prepares  all  educational  reports.  Midterm  and  final 
examinations  are  given  under  its  direction. 

Training  Classes.  Training  classes  are  maintained  for  pages, 
messengers,  and  new  employees  who  are  to  do  special  work  in  the 
various  departments.  Boys  who  enter  the  employ  of  the  National 
City  Bank  receive  training  before  entering  upon  their  duties.  This 
training  is  given  in  the  educational  department  under  the  close  personal 
supervision  of  expert  instructors.  When  the  pages  report  for  their 
training  they  are  given  printed  instructions  outlining  the  work  to 
be  covered.  These  boys  receive  actual  practice  in  answering  the 
telephone,  in  receiving  visitors,  in  carrying  messages  to  officers  and 
various  departments  of  the  bank,  in  fact,  their  training  includes  all 
the  specific  duties  which  may  later  be  required  of  them.  Messengers 
are  similarly  trained  for  the  work  which  they  are  to  perform. 

Educational  Library.  The  text-books  used  in  classes  are  furnished 
to  the  students  through  the  educational  library,  which  is  managed  by 
a'  librarian  who  maintains  catalogues  and  card  records  and  makes 
suggestions  as  to  proper  reading  courses.  The  library  also  contains 
many  books  of  fiction  and  reference,  which  may  be  borrowed  for  the 
usual  period  of  two  weeks.  It  is  also  the  distributing  center  for 
the  many  descriptive  pamphlets  of  the  work  of  the  departments  of 
the  bank.  These  pamphlets  in  themselves  compose  a  fund  of  in- 
formation of  great  value. 

College  Class.  The  educational  department  has  charge  of  the 
training  of  college  men  under  a  plan  by  which  the  universities  of 
the  country  co-operate  with  the  bank's  branches.    The  training  given 


524  APPENDIX 

to  them  consists  of  a  well-planned  course  of  studies,  and  actual 
banking  practice  gained  by  rotation  through  the  more  important 
departments  of  the  bank. 

Outside  Courses.  Students  complying  with  certain  requirements 
are  recommended  for  enrolment  in  approved  outside  courses  at  the 
partial  expense  of  the  club.  The  educational  department  co-operates 
with  the  best  educational  institutions  of  Greater  New  York  and 
receives  from  them  descriptive  literature  of  the  courses  which  they 
offer.  Thus  the  employees  in  consultation  with  this  department  are 
enabled  to  make  a  wise  selection  of  outside  courses. 

Correspondence  Course.  Another  feature  of  the  educational  work 
is  its  correspondence  course  in  foreign  exchange,  prepared  by  E.  E. 
Agger,  assistant  to  the  president.  This  book  is  widely  used  by  the 
bank's  correspondents,  as  well  as  by  the  bank's  own  classes  in  foreign 
exchange. 

Revision  of  Books.  Such  revision  of  books  and  manuals  as  is 
necessary  from  time  to  time  is  done  by  the  department.  Under  its 
direction  also  are  prepared  the  various  lectures  and  addresses  delivered 
before  the  classes  and  the  text-books  which  the  bank  itself  compiles, 
some  of  the  most  recent  ones  being: 

"Description'  of  the  Work  of  The  National  City  Bank" 

"The  Pages'  Manual" 

"The  Messengers'  Manual" 

"Spanish  Taught  in  Spanish" 

"Commercial  Spanish" 

"A  Spanish  Vocabulary" 

Educational  Program  of  the  City  Bank  Club  for  the  Present 

Year 

City  Bank  Club  Plan  for  Refund  on  Fees  for  Outside  Courses 

The  club's  education  plan  contemplates  a  broad  use  of  courses 
in  outside  institutions.  To  assist  club  members  desiring  to  take  such 
courses,  the  City  Bank  Club  will  refund  50  per  cent  of  the  tuition 
fee  to  students  who  have  been  approved  by  the  educational  committee. 
Students  applying  for  refunds  under  this  plan  must  make  application 
to  the  committee  in  advance  of  enrolment.  Ordinarily,  such  appli- 
cants must  have  been  in  the  service  for  at  least  one  year.  Before 
approving  applicants,  the  committee  will  take  into  consideration  their 
previous  educational  record  and  their  record  in  the  bank.     It  will 


EDUCATIONAL   DEPT. — NATIONAL  CITY   BANK        S^S 

also  be  guided  by  the  recommendations  ot  the  personnel  department 
and  of  division  heads. 

Students  approved  for  outside  courses  must  submit  to  the  educa- 
tional department  on  January  i,  April  i,  July  i,  and  October  i, 
complete  reports  showing  their  progress  in  their  courses.  The  City 
Bank  Club  will  refund  each  year  an  amount  equivalent  to  50  per  cent 
of  the  tuition  fee,  this  refund  to  be  paid  when  the  year's  work  is 
successfully  completed.  If  the  course  does  not  extend  throughout 
the  year  the  refund  will  be  paid  when  the  .course  is  successfully 
completed. 

Program  of  Inside  Courses 

An  intensive,  but  well-balanced  program  of  classes  to  be  conducted 
by  the  educational  department,  supplemented  by  a  broadened  use 
of  established  outside  courses,  should  make  the  educational  activities 
of  the  City  Bank  Club  of  great  practical  value.  All  classes  will 
be  held  in  the  morning — before  nine  o'clock.  Arrangements  will 
be  made  to  enable  those  in  departments  beginning  work  at  eight 
o'clock  to  enjoy  educational  advantages.  As  planned,  the  complete 
program  for  the  year  groups  itself  as   follows: 

1.  Elementary  Courses.  These  courses  are  for  the  junior  at 
the  bank  and  are  offered  in  accordance  with  the  state  law  governing 
continuation  schools.  This  law  makes  it  compulsory  for  the  junior 
between  fourteen  and  eighteen  years  to  attend  at  least  four  hours 
of  instruction  per  week.  The  courses  offered  to  juniors  include  such 
training  classes  as  the  page  class  and  the  messenger  service,  as  well 
as  classes  in  office  practice,  English,  elementary  banking,  and 
arithmetic. 

2.  Professional  Courses.  These  courses  are  planned  specifically 
to  meet  the  needs  of  those  in  the  club  organization  and  include  such 
classes  as  credit,  foreign  exchange,  banking,  and  the  languages. 

3.  General  Educational  Courses.  Under  this  head  are  included 
courses  of  general  educational  value,  such  as  those  of  the  Alexander 
Hamilton  Institute  and  the  courses  offered  by  the  different  universi- 
ties. Professional  courses,  such  as  Accountancy,  are  also  included 
under  this  head. 

The  underlying  thought  back  of  this  classification  is  to  offer 
in  the  club  proper  and  under  club  instructors  those  courses  that 
can  best  be  taught  in  this  way.  All  general  courses  that  can  be 
taught  by  established  outside  institutions  have  been  eliminated  from 


526  APPENDIX 

the  club's  own  program.  The  plan  will  be  to  encourage  employees 
who  are  eligible  for  such  courses  to  take  them  outside,  the  City 
Bank  Club  paying  half  the  cost  of  such  courses  for  employees  who 
are  approved  and  eligible.  The  previous  educational  record  of  the 
applicant,  the  character  of  his  work,  his  record  in  the  department, 
and  the  recommendation  of  the  director  of  personnel  and  his  division 
head  will  be  factors  in  determining  eligibility  for  classes.  The  policy 
of  the  educational  committee  will  be  to  maintain  strict  standards  of 
eligibility  for  admission  to  classes. 

It  will  be  necessary  for  those  desiring  to  enroll  to  make  applica- 
tion in  advance  of  the  date  set.  A  form  suitable  for  such  application 
may  be  obtained  from  the  educational  department. 

Applications  for  enrolment  to  a  class  presumes  regular  attendance. 
In  the  event  that  any  student  fails  to  attend  two  consecutive  sessions 
of  a  class  without  suitable  excuse,  he  will  be  denied  the  privilege 
of  further  attendance  at  the  class.  Responsibility  for  attendance  at 
classes  will  rest  wholly  upon  the  student. 

Elementary  Courses 

Page  Class.  This  class  is  held  continuously  in  the  educational 
department  for  the  training  of  the  pages.  Every  page  is  required 
to  take  this  class  before  being  definitely  assigned  to  a  position  in 
the  bank.  The  training  consists  of  a  study  of  the  pages'  manual 
which  contains  all  the  information  about  the  work  which  a  page 
should  know.  After  a  thorough  study  of  the  manual  and  special 
instructions,  the  page  is  required  to  learn  the  exact  location  of  the 
various  officers  and  departments.  He  is  taught  the  use  of  the 
telephone  directory  and  how  to  answer  the  telephone;  is  taught  to 
use  the  tubes;  is  made  generally  familiar  with  the  bank  statement; 
and  is  instructed  in  the  subway  system  of  Manhattan,  including  the 
shortest  routes  from  the  bank  to  Times  Square,  Grand  Central  Sta- 
tion, Pennsylvania  Station,  and  Jersey  City.  He  is  instructed  in  this 
information  so  that  he  will  be  able  to  direct  customers  or  visitors 
at  the  bank  who  may  make  inquiry  of  him. 

Messenger  Class.  This  class  is  held  continuously  in  the  educa- 
tional department  for  the  training  of  the  messengers.  The  mes- 
sengers receive  this  preliminary  training  before  being  definitely 
assigned  to  the  messenger  department.  This  training  includes  the 
work  as  outlined  in  the  messengers'  manual  covering  such  subjects 
as  follows:  business  etiquette,  the  work  of  the  departments  to  which 


EDUCATIONAL   DEPT. — NATIONAL  CITY   BANK       527 

they  will  later  be  assigned,  the  numbers  of  the  clearing-house  banks, 
the  filling  out  of  documents  which  messengers  are  required  to  handle, 
and  other  subjects  of  practical  value.  After  a  messenger  has  spent 
about  two  weeks  in  his  department,  he  returns  to  the  educational 
department  for  a  final  oral  examination  on  the  work  covered  in  the 
messengers'  manual. 

Arithmetic  I.  This  class  is  conducted  for  the  pages  by  the  educa- 
tional department,  each  page  being  required  to  report  for  study  for 
fifteen  minutes  daily  at  a  time  that  meets  with  the  approval  of  his 
department  head.  The  work  consists  of  a  series  of  fifty  exercises, 
arranged  in  order  of  difficulty  and  involving  the  four  fundamental 
operations:  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication,  and  division.  Each 
exercise  is  so  arranged  that  a  person  reasonably  adept  in  handling 
figures  can  complete  it  in  four  minutes  or  less,  and  the  student  con- 
tinues to  work  on  each  exercise  until  he  is  able  to  complete  in  four 
minutes,  all  of  the  problems  without  a  single  error.  He  may  then 
pass  on  to  the  next  exercise  which  is  slightly  more  difficult.  Accord- 
ing to  this  arrangement,  each  boy's  progress  depends  on  his  own 
ability  and  ambition. 

Penmanship  and  Figures.  This  course  is  conducted  in  the  educa- 
tional department  daily  during  bank  hours  at  the  time  assigned  for 
the  work  in  arithmetic.  The  work  covers  a  series  of  elementary 
drills  and  exercises  in  penmanship  designed  to  develop  legibility  in 
writing  and  the  making  of  figures. 

English  I.  Monday  and  Tuesday  mornings  at  8:15  for  all  em- 
ployees under  seventeen  years  of  age.  The  course  will  be  largely 
an  oral  English  course.  Discussion  of  current  events  and  items 
of  especial  interest  to  the  boys  will  be  encouraged.  Elements  of 
English  grammar,  letter-writing,  spelling,  and  a  clear  enunciation 
will  be  especially  emphasized. 

Office  Practice  I.  Thursday  and  Friday  mornings  at  8:15  for  all 
employees  under  seventeen  years  of  age.  The  course  will  be  devoted 
to  discussion  of  departmental  duties,  the  lives  of  prominent  business 
men  will  be  studied  and  talks  will  be  given  along  inspirational  lines. 
The  duties  and  obligations  of  citizenship  will  be  given  a  place  in  this 
course. 

English  II.  Monday  and  Tuesday  mornings  at  8:15  for  employees 
who  have  passed  English  I  and  for  new  employees  seventeen  and 
eighteen  years  of  age.  To  foster  correct  habits  of  speech  will  be 
the  leading  aim  of  this  course.     Criticism  of  speech  forms  heard  in 


528  APPENDIX 

conversation  and  observed  in  correspondence  will  be  discussed,  with 
frequent  opportunity  for  writing  practice. 

Office  Practice  II.  Thursday  and  Friday  mornings  at  8:15  for 
those  who  have  passed  Office  Practice  I  and  for  others  over  seventeen 
years  of  age.  This  course  will  cover  what  might  be  termed  "business 
essentials."  The  elements  of  lanking,  economics,  and  the  important 
industries  will  be  discussed.  "The  Work  of  Number  Eight,"  a  text- 
book recently  prepared  by  the  educational  department  and  which 
explains  the  operation  of  all  the  departments,  will  be  studied. 

Spanish  Jr.  Wednesday  and  Saturday,  at  8:15  a.m.  for  employees 
under  nineteen  years  of  age  who  have  completed  one  year  of  bank 
classwork  and  for  others  who  are  considered  eligible  by  the  educational 
committee.  The  course  will  be  devoted  primarily  to  giving  a  thorough 
foundation  in  the  Spanish  language.  "Spanish  Taught  in  Spanish," 
the  text-book  prepared  by  Carlos  McHale  of  the  educational  depart- 
ment, will  be  used  as  a  text  for  this  class. 

Elementary  Banking.  Tuesday  morning  at  8:15  for  employees 
over  eighteen  years  of  age  who  are  not  thoroughly  grounded  in 
the  elementary  principles  of  banking.  The  various  functions  of 
national  banks  will  be  outlined  and  these  will  be  discussed  in  the 
light  of  the  numerous  transactions  that  pass  through  the  bank  daily. 
The  relation  between  national  banks  and  other  banking  institutions, 
as  well  as  the  federal  reserve  system,  will  be  discussed. 

Professional  Courses 

Banking,  Business,  and  Finance.  Tuesday  evening  at  5.  All 
officers  and  department  heads  are  eligible  to  enter  this  class.  A 
committee  of  members  will  have  charge  of  the  conduct  of  the  class, 
under  the  supervision  of  Samuel  McRoberts,  Executive  Manager, 
and  will  plan  the  lectures  according  to  the  interests  of  those  enrolled. 
This  course  might  well  be  termed  a  course  in  problems  of  current 
interest.  As  has  been  the  policy  in  the  past,  the  various  lectures 
of  this  course  will  be  given  by  the  most  prominent  business  and 
professional  men  of  the  country.  Each  speaker  will  devote  part 
of  his  session  to  the  discussion  of  questions  submitted  by  the  class. 

Credit.  Wednesday  morning  at  8:15.  Admission  is  confined  to 
those  approved  by  the  committee.  This  course  will  deal  with  the 
theoretical  and  practical  sides  of  credit.  A  study  will  be  made  of 
the  considerations  involved  in  determining  lines  of  credit,  practically 


EDUCATIONAL   DEPT. — NATIONAL  CITY   BANK        5^9 

illustrated  by  financial  statements  of  individuals,  firms,  and  corpora- 
tions in  different  lines  of  business. 

Foreign  Exchange  I.  Thursday  morning  at  8:15.  The  course 
is  designed  particularly  to  be  of  assistance  to  those  handling  foreign 
business  of  the  bank.  The  text  in  this  course  will  be  Escher's 
"Elements  of  Foreign  Exchange."  The  class  will  study  the  origin 
of  foreign  exchange,  the  instruments  used,  and  the  general  principles 
involved  in  foreign  exchange  transactions.  This  will  be  followed 
by  a  discussion  and  review  of  the  daily  work  of  every  department 
of  the  foreign  division. 

Foreign  Exchange  II.  Friday  morning  at  8:15.  Enrolment  in 
this  course  will  be  confined  to  those  who  have  completed  Foreign 
Exchange  I  or  its  equivalent.  This  course  will  be  devoted  to  a 
study  of  advanced  foreign  exchange  problems.  The  text  used  will 
be  the  Correspondence  Course  in  Foreign  Exchange  and  International 
Banking,  arranged  by  the  National  City  Bank  of  New  York,  for 
distribution  among  the  officials  of  correspondent  banks.  Students 
will  be  expected  to  prepare  and  hand  in  to  the  instructor  answers 
to  the  questions  appearing  in  these  booklets.  The  course  will  be 
supplemented  by  special  lectures  given  by  officers  of  the  bank  and 
other  business  executives,  reflecting  the  foreign  exchange  conditions. 

Spanish  I.  Monday  and  Thursday  mornings  at  8:15  for  those  who 
have  completed  Spanish  Jr.  or  who  are  approved  by  the  educational 
committee.  Thorough  study  of  the  thirty  lessons  contained  in  the 
elementary  book,  "Spanish  Taught  in  Spanish,"  specially  prepared 
by  the  instructor  for  the  bank's  classes.  The  instructor  uses  in  his 
lessons  the  easiest  and  most  practical  methods  for  teaching  a  language. 
Practice  in  conversation,  reading,  and  dictation. 

Spanish  II.  Tuesday  and  Friday  mornings  at  8:15  for  employees 
who  have  passed  Spanish  I  and  for  others  who  have  studied  Spanish 
in  school  and  have  been  admitted  by  the  educational  committee.  The 
fifty  lessons  contained  in  the  first  part  of  the  text-book,  "Commercial 
Spanish,"  will  be  carefully  studied.  The  instructor  gives  practice 
in  conversation,  reading,  and  dictation. 

Spanish  III.  Wednesday  and  Saturday  mornings  at  8:15  for 
employees  who  have  passed  Spanish  II  and  for  others  who  have 
studied  Spanish  and  have  been  admitted  by  the  educational  com- 
mittee. The  second  part  of  the  book  "Commercial  Spanish,"  which 
deals  with  commercial  documents  and  mercantile  correspondence,  is 
studied.    The  student  at  the  same  time  as  he  studies  Spanish  acquires 


530  APPENDIX 

information  that  every  bank  employee  should  possess.  Practice  in 
conversation,  reading,  and  dictation. 

French  I.  Monday  and  Thursday  at  8:15  for  employees  over 
twenty  years  of  age  who  are  approved  by  the  educational  committee. 
Each  lesson  will  include  conversation,  reading,  and  verb  practice,  in 
order  to  train  the  ear  and  the  tongue  of  the  pupil,  to  make  him 
think  in  French,  and  to  give  him  the  power  to  form  sentences  such 
as  are  used  in  every-day  conversation. 

French  II.  Tuesday  and  Friday  mornings  at  8:15  for  employees 
who  have  passed  French  I,  and  for  others  who  have  studied  French 
and  have  been  admitted  by  the  educational  committee.  This  class 
will  include  pupils  who  have  already  studied  French  for  one  year. 
The  lessons  will  include  irregular  verbs  and  the  French  idioms  that 
play  an  important  part  in  daily  conversation.  Practice  will  also  be 
given  in  reading,  answering  questions,  and  writing  from  dictation 
various  business  and  social  letters. 

French  III.  Wednesday  and  Saturday  mornings  at  8:15  for  em- 
ployees who  have  passed  French  II  and  for  others  who  have  acquired 
a  speaking  knowledge  of  French  and  have  been  admitted  by  the 
educational  committee.  This  class  will  deal  strictly  with  business 
French  and  will  strive  by  conversation  on  topics  of  the  day,  the 
study  of  business  forms  and  expressions,  and  dictation  of  business 
letters,  to  give  the  pupil  a  practical  working  knowledge  of  modern 
French  as  used  in  commerce.  Reading  and  idiom  practice  will  be 
continued,  special  attention  being  given  to  the  more  difficult  idioms 
and  expressions  which  are  of  common  use  in  connection  with  com- 
mercial transactions. 


Survey  of  Courses  Offered  for  Bank  People  by  Outside 
Institutions 

The  subjects  taught  are  divided  into  three  groups:  preparatory, 
standard,  and  special.  All  classes  are  under  the  direct  supervision 
of  Columbia  University  and  are  open  to  both  men  and  women. 

The  standard  course  offers  a  well-balanced  series  of  studies  cover- 
ing three  years.  The  entrance  requirements  for  this  course  are  a 
full  high  school  education  or  its  equivalent,  and  at  least  two  years' 
banking  experience,  or  such  other  qualification  as  will  satisfy  the 
committee  that  the  applicant  can  pursue  the  course  with  advantage. 


EDUCATIONAL  DEPT. — NATIONAL   CITY   BANK        531 

The  following  is  a  condensed  schedule  of  subjects  given  in  the 
standard  course: 

First  year:  Principles  of  Economics,  Bank  Organization  and 

Administration.     Second  year:  Law  of  Contracts  and  Nego- 
tiable Instruments,  Money  and  Banking.     Third  year:  Law  of 

Business  Relations,  Corporation  Finance  and  Investments.   One 

other  subject  to  be  selected  by  the  student  from  a  list  of  special 

subjects  which  will  be  offered. 
The  school  year  covers  thirty  weeks,  and  regular  students  are 
required   to   attend  two   evenings   each  week.     On   successful   com- 
pletion of  the  standard  course,   students  are  awarded  the  institute 
certificate. 

Students  who  are  not  qualified  for  entrance  to  the  standard  course 
are  required  to  take  certain  preparatory  subjects,  on  satisfactory 
completion  of  which  they  are  admitted  to  the  standard  course. 
Especial  attention  will  be  given  this  year  to  these  preparatory 
students.  An  individual  program  will  be  mapped  out  for  each  one 
with  the  view  of  preparing  him  for  the  standard  course  in  as  short 
a  time  as  possible.    The  subjects  will  include: 

Elementary  Banking  Practice 

Bank  Arithmetic 

Economic  and  Financial  History  of  the  United  States 

Elementary  Commercial  Geography 

Bank  Bookkeeping 

English  Readings  and  Composition 

Business  English 
Students    will    be    expected    to    attend    two    evenings   per   week 
and  from  one  to  two  hours  per  evening.     Special  schedules  will  be 
arranged  for  those  who  cannot  attend  two  evenings  each  week. 
The  special  subjects  which  will  be  offered  this  year  include: 

Credits 

Accounting 

Exporting 

Importing 

International  Exchange 

Income  Tax  Procedure 

Publicity  and  New  Business 

Public  Speaking 

Reserves  and  Rediscounts 


532  APPENDIX 

Special  Problems  in  Foreign  Trade 

Trust  Company  Functions 

French 

Spanish 

Geography  of  the  Eastern  Hemisphere 

Geography  of  Latin  America 
The  school  year  begins  October  4.    Examinations  are  given  at 
the  end  of  the  first  semester  in  February  and  at  the  close  of  the 
school  year  in  May. 

Fees 

The  liberal  financial  assistance  which  is  given  to  New  York 
chapter  by  the  banks  of  this  city  makes  it  possible  for  them  to 
offer  these  courses  to  bank  employees  at  considerably  below  cost. 
The  course  fees  range  from  $7  to  $24  for  a  one-semester  course  and 
from  $10  to  $35  for  an  entire  year's  work,  including  chapter  dues 
in  all  courses  and  text-books  in  all  standard  and  preparatory  courses. 
A  complete  schedule  of  subjects,  showing  the  evenings  on  which  they 
are  given  and  the  course  fees,  will  be  printed  in  the  annual  announce- 
ment, which  will  be  ready  for  distribution  about  September  i. 

Special  Meetings 

A  special  trust  company  forum  is  held  every  two  weeks  at  which 
various  topics  of  interest  to  trust  company  employees  are  discussed. 
The  general  forum  meets  once  in  two  weeks,  alternating  with  the 
trust  company  forum.  Various  banking  topics  are  discussed  at  these 
meetings,  some  prominent  authority  on  the  particular  subject  to 
be  taken  up  being  invited  to  speak  at  each  meeting.  All  bank  officers 
and  senior  clerks  are  invited  to  attend  and  take  part  in  these  dis- 
cussions. The  chapter-rooms  are  open  from  9  a.m.  to  10  p.m.  each 
day  except  Saturday  or  holidays,  from  October  i  to  June  i,  and 
the  chapter  library  is  open  to  all  members.  Books  are  loaned  for 
two  weeks  at  a  time  and  may  be  kept  longer  by  special  arrangement 
with  the  secretary. 

Additional  Outside  Courses 

There  are  available  additional  outside  courses  as  follows: 
Pace  Institute  courses  include  Accountancy,  Law,  Public  Speak- 
ing, and  Business  English. 


EDUCATIONAL  DEPT. — NATIONAL  CITY   BANK       533 

Alexander  Hamilton  Institute  offers  opportunity  for  home  study 
in  basic  business  principles. 

Foreign  Trade  and  Business  English  feature  home  study  courses 
of  Business  Training  Corporation. 

Seventeen  high  schools  offer  courses  for  Juniors. 

Columbia  has  special  program  of  evening  classes  for  business 
people. 

New  York  University  School  of  Commerce  offers  wide  range 
of  business  subjects. 

City  College  gives  its  evening  work  at  four  different  points  in 
New  York. 

The  Hunter  College  admits  women  to  special  evening  classes. 

New  School  for  Social  Research  has  comprehensive  program  of 
study  for  mature  students. 

Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  Y.  W.  C.  A.  give  business  and  athletic  training. 


A.PPENDIX  I 

TRAINING   AT   THE   R.    H.    MACY    DEPARTMENT 

STORE^ 

A  description  of  the  instruction  given  and  the  philosophy  which 
is  back  of  the  training.  This  store  has  found  that  education  is 
necessary  to  the  success  of  its  business.  Ultimately  the  management 
of  every  department  store  will  reach  the  same  decision.  The  in- 
formation here  given  will  prove  helpful. 

Introduction 

Department  store  training  is  many-angled.  It  may  be  compared 
in  its  complexity  to  the  numerous  branches  of  specialized  training 
necessary  for  the  adequate  preparation  of  the  inhabitants  of  a  city, 
progressive  in  its  industrial,  commercial,  and  financial  activities.  To 
such  a  city  one  may  without  reserve  compare  a  department  store 
of  the  type  of  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company  with  its  extensive  and 
modernized  telephone  and  alarm  system;  electric  light  and  power 
plant;  water  and  sprinkler  systems;  corps  of  skilful  painters, 
carpenters,  and  mechanics;  efficient  body  of  detectives  and  store 
police;  delivery  system;  post-offices  for  both  interior  and  public  mail 
service;  banking  department;  advertising  department;  telegraph  and 
express  office ;  railroad  and  theater  ticket  office ;  training  department ; 
library;  clubs;  reception  room  and  restrooms,  hospital,  dental  parlor, 
chiropody  parlor;  public  restaurant  and  employees'  lunchrooms;  with 
its  selling  departments  numbering  over  one  hundred  where  nearly 
every  commodity  purchasable  in  a  city  may  be  obtained;  and  with 
its  departments  manufacturing  from  the  most  stylish  hats  to  the 
highest  grade  mattresses,  from  the  most  delicate  perfumes  to  the 
purest  and  tastiest  candy.  In  fact,  the  transportation,  selling,  public 
service,  and  manufacturing  facilities  of  such  an  organization  can 
be  found  only  in  the  most  up-to-date  cities. 


See  Chapter  XXVIL 

534 


DEPARTMENT   STORE   TRAINING R.   H.    MACY       535 

Training  in  such  an  institution  has  a  scope  which  rivals  that 
of  the  public  and  business  schools.  Public  and  business  school  train- 
ing is  always  general.  Institutional  training  is  highly  specialized. 
Specialized  training  increases  in  complexity  in  proportion  to  the 
complexity  of  the  business  in  which  it  is  introduced.  What  business 
is  more  comprehensive  and  complex  than  the  department  store 
business  ? 

Instniction  in  System 

I. 'Now  that  our  advertisements  for  help  carry  the  caption  "Ex- 
perience not  necessary,"  we  are  getting  many  sales  clerks  who  are 
entirely  new  to  department  store  work.  For  this  reason  we  are 
leaving  their  first  day  in  the  store  free  from  any  formal  instruction. 
This  day  is  to  be  devoted  to  getting  acquainted  in  the  department, 
not  only  with  stock,  but  with  their  fellow-workers.  We  now  have 
a  reception  committee,  who  take  care  of  new  employees  and  introduce 
them  properly  throughout  their  departments. 

2.  On  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  days  of  employment  all  new 
sales  clerks  will  receive  regular  instruction  in  how  to  make  out 
sales  checks  and  how  to  take  care  of  other  matters  of  routine  system 
in  the  department  of  training.  The  hours  for  instruction  are  ii  a.m. 
on  the  second  day,  9  a.m.  on  the  third  day,  and  10  a.m.  and  4:30 
P.M.  on  the  fourth  day. 

3.  For  two  weeks  the  department  of  training  follows  up  the 
sales  checks  of  all  new  sales  clerks,  and  during  this  time  anyone 
who  is  in  doubt  about  his  or  her  work  should  apply  to  the  training 
department  for  information. 

Continuation  School 

Across  34th  Street,  located  in  the  Riker-Hegeman  building,  is 
the  attractive  classroom  where  our  continuation  school  meets  five 
mornings  of  the  week,  from  8:45  to  10:45.  To  this  school  are  sent 
twenty-eight  of  our  younger  employees  in  order  that  they  may  brush 
up  on  the  fundamental  subjects  so  useful  in  every-day  business  life, 
such  as  arithmetic,  spelling,  reading,  writing,  local  geography,  and 
personal  hygiene. 

Each  class  has  three  months'  training  under  one  of  the  best 
teachers  available  from  the  board  of  education.  At  the  end  of  this 
term  certificates  are  awarded  by  a  representative  of  the  board  of 


53^  APPENDIX 

education.  A  sure  future  is  then  opened  up  for  the  graduates  of 
this  school,  and  under  the  guidance  of  the  department  of  training 
their  progress  is  closely  watched. 

Sales  Clerks*  Conferences 

Not  everyone  can  attend  the  various  regular  courses  given  by 
the  department;  therefore,  we  have  an  arrangement  by  which  those 
sales  clerks  who  have  been  with  the  firm  not  less  than  one  month 
and  not  more  than  three  months  are  to  be  allowed  to  attend  a  series 
of  conferences  on  salesmanship,  which  will  be  held  at  10:30  a.m., 
three  days  a  week.  Each  one  of  these  groups  of  thirty  will  hold 
three  conferences  and  it  is  hoped  in  this  manner  that  all  of  our 
new  sales  clerks  may  quickly  become  acquainted  with  our  policies 
and  principles. 

Junior  Training  Class 

The  junior  training  class  is  the  means  whereby  our  younger 
employees  may  pass  into  the  larger  field  of  opportunity  of  selling. 
Those  who  are  selected  to  be  raised  to  the  rank  of  junior  sales  clerks 
are  fortunate  in  having  this  chance  to  approach  their  new  work 
fully  equipped  and  fully  trained. 

A  good  sales  clerk  should  be  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  whole 
organization  of  the  store  in  which  she  sells.  Therefore,  it  is 
arranged  that  junior  sales  clerks  shall  spend  their  mornings  in  the 
receiving  department  marking  the  merchandise  which  they  are  learn- 
ing how  to  sell  so  well.  After  lunch  they  obtain  their  practical 
experience  by  selling  in  some  designated  department,  and  from  4:30 
to  5 130  comes  their  classroom  instruction.  In  that  last  hour  all 
the  experiences  of  the  day  are  explained  and  clarified  and  gradually 
the  framework  of  a  substantial,  fundamental  training  in  selling  is 
built  up.     The  points  covered  in  this  course  are: 

1.  Salesmanship  and  system 

2.  Store  organization 

3.  Store  directory 

4.  Demonstration  sales 

From  the  ranks  of  these  sales  clerks  desirable  openings  in  many 
departments  are  filled.  The  department  managers  are  anxious  to 
obtain  members  of  our  junior  selling  force,  and  applications  for  our 
graduates  are  more  than  we  can  fill. 


DEPARTMENT   STORE   TRAINING — R.    H.    MACY       537 

Senior   Training   Classes 

Textile  Class.  The  study  of  textiles  is  a  fascinating  one  and 
many  of  our  sales  clerks  can  testify  to  this,  as  they  are  graduates 
of  this  class.  We  have  prepared  a  most  comprehensive  outline  and 
teach  the  following  subjects  in  separate  groups: 

1.  Cotton  materials 

2.  Silk  materials 

3.  Woolen  materials 

Those  sales  clerks  who  have  specialized  in  any  one  of  these 
courses  know  the  value  of  being  perfectly  well  grounded  in  the 
material  they  are  selling.  A  sales  clerk  who  knows  her  merchandise 
thoroughly  has  the  advantage  over  her  customer  and  can  approach 
the  consummation  of  each  sale  with  ease. 

Non-Textile  Class.  A  similar  course  to  the  one  in  textiles  is 
that  in  non-textiles.     The  course  offers  the  following  subjects: 

1.  Leather  goods 

2.  Glassware,  pottery,  etc. 

Very  few  stores  throughout  the  country  have  gone  into  the  study 
of  non-textiles,  and  our  sales  clerks  are  unusually  fortunate  in  having 
this  opportunity  to  become  specialists  in  their  own  line  of  merchandise. 

Demonstration  sales  are  held  in  the  departments  during  both  the 
textile  and  non-textile  courses  and  many  most  valuable  lessons  are 
learned  in  this  way.  Criticism  of  the  sale  is  offered  to  the  class 
and  it  is  surprising  how  many  points  of  interest  arise  in  any  one 
sale. 

Those  who  have  taken  these  courses  and  have  begun  to  find  out 
what  a  lot  there  is  to  learn  about  the  merchandise  which  is  carried 
in  a  department  store  will  be  interested  to  know  that  there  is  a 
technical  library  in  the  classroom  for  their  further  guidance.  An 
excellent  list  of  books  on  all  textile  and  non-textile  subjects  has  been 
compiled  for  reference  work,  and  assistance  will  be  gladly  given 
in  selecting  the  proper  reading  matter  for  any  who  wish  to  use 
this  library. 

A  seminar  class  is  held  every  Monday  evening  at  7:30  for  buyers 
interested  in  the  study  of  design  and  color.  This  course  offers  much 
that  is  of  interest  and  is  sure  to  develop. 

It  is  the  desire  of  the  department  of  training  that  any  employee 
who  finds  herself  in  need  of  special  instruction,  either  in  store  system, 
salesmanship,  or  any  other  branch  of  store  work,  shall  be  perfectly 


53^  APPENDIX 

free  to  consult  with  any  of  the  staff.  A  little  individual  instruction 
may  sometimes  smooth  out  a  seeming  difficulty,  and  this  service  is 
always  available  to  any  employee  or  department  manager  who  wishes 
to  use  it. 

Preparatory  School 

The  primary  school  of  R.  H.  Macy  and  Company  is  its  continua- 
tion school  where  a  rather  fundamental  knowledge  of  arithmetic, 
spelling,  reading,  local  geography,  and  hygiene  is  given.  These 
subjects  are  presented  in  a  manner  which  shows  their  applicability 
to  business. 

This  school  is  located  one-half  block  from  the  store.  Here  students 
of  both  sexes  from  fifteen  to  twenty  years  of  age  spend  two  hours 
each  morning,  from  nine  to  eleven  o'clock,  except  on  Mondays.  The 
duration  of  the  course  is  three  and  one-half  months,  giving  each 
student  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  hours  of  instruction.  The  time 
allowed  for  study,  namely,  two  hours  each  morning,  is  not  charged 
against  the  students'  salaries.  In  other  words,  training  at  R.  H. 
Macy  and  Company  is  on  store  time  and  at  store  expense. 

This  course  includes  several  bus  trips  about  town  to  give  the 
students  a  working  idea  of  the  city;  also  it  includes  talks  by  store 
executives  and  instructors  on  current  political  and  business  subjects. 

Graduation  exercises  are  held  at  the  completion  of  the  course 
at  which  time  diplomas,  class  pins,  and  prizes  for  exceptional  stand- 
ing are  awarded  by  members  of  the  board  of  education  and  store 
officials.  After  graduation  these  students  are  urged  to  join  the 
alumni  association  of  the  continuation  school  which  holds  business 
meetings  and  recreational  activities  the  first  Saturday  night  in  each 
month.  These  meetings  tend  to  stimulate  a  desire  for  further  study 
and  to  bind  the  graduates  closer  in  the  friendships  formed  at  the 
school. 

Training  School 

The  continuation  school  acts  as  a  feeder  to  the  various  branches 
of  training.  The  graduates  of  this  school  and  others  who  have  had 
an  equivalent  training  are  allowed  to  decide  for  themselves  whether 
they  are  to  become  sales  clerks  (called  "productives")  or  office 
workers  (called  "non-productives"). 

I.  To  those  who  choose  retail  selling,  very  carefully  planned 
courses  are  offered,  by  our  junior  training  class  in   salesmanship, 


'    DEPARTMENT   STORE   TRAINING R.   H.    MACY       539 

store  organization,  store  system,  color,  diction,  advanced  arithmetic, 
display,  store  directory,  personal  hygiene,  and  demonstration  sales. 
At  the  completion  of  this  course,  an  opportunity  is  offered  the 
students  to  choose  either  textile  selling  or  non-textile  selling.  To 
cover  these  two  divisions  of  retail  selling,  we  have  a  senior  training 
class  in  Textiles  and  a  senior  training  class  in  Non-textiles.  These 
courses  include  trips  to  mills.  Graduation  from  these  classes  is 
followed  by  the  formation  of  clubs,  organized  for  the  purpose  of 
further  study  along  specialized  lines.  The  graduates  have  at  their 
disposal  a  technical  library  and  instructors  are  continually  following 
up  their  work  on  the  selling  floor.  Advanced  instruction  is  offered 
to  those  who  show  ability,  interest,  and  initiative.  Such  employees 
finally  become  heads  of  stock,  assistant  buyers,  buyers,  and 
merchandise  managers.  Since  the  purpose  of  this  article  is  not  to 
describe  the  training  of  productive  employees,  this,  our  most  im- 
portant branch  of  training,  will  not  be  dealt  with  at  greater  length. 
11.  To  those  who  choose  office  work  the  following  training  is 
offered : 

1.  Comptometry 

2.  Dictaphone  operations 

3.  Bureau  of  investigation  tracing 

4.  Receiving  clerk's  work 

5.  Entry  clerk's  work 

6.  General  clerical  work  (filing,  sorting,  etc.) 

I.  Employees  desiring  to  take  up  comptometry  must  first  pass 
a  rather  difficult  test  in  arithmetic,  dealing  especially  with  fractions, 
decimals,  denominate  numbers,  percentage,  and  interest.  As  numbers 
cannot  be  handled  in  fractional  form  on  the  comptometer,  the  operator 
must  be  able  to  write  fractions  in  terms  of  decimals  without 
hesitancy.  In  case  the  applicant  fails  to  pass  this  test  and  is  con- 
sidered eligible  for  the  work,  he  is  given  the  opportunity  to  coach 
with  an  instructor,  in  this  subject,  until  able  to  take  the  test  success- 
fully. Classes  in  comptometry  are  held  every  afternoon  from  3:45 
P.M.  until  4:45  P.M.  under  the  instruction  of  an  experienced  operator 
who  is  well  fitted  for  this  work  because  of  her  ability  to  impart 
knowledge.  Comptometry  as  applied  to  department  store  work  not 
only  involves  the  ability  to  operate  the  machine  but  also  involves 
the  ability  to  turn  sales  checks  and  other  forms  simultaneously.  This 
course   continues   throughout  the  year.     Those   students   who   have 


540  APPENDIX 

shown  themselves  proficient,  graduate  while  those  who  need  more 
time  continue  to  study  and  practice.  It  usually  takes  three  months 
to  train  a  fair  operator.  As  promotion  depends  on  the  skill  shown 
in  the  classroom,  students  are  anxious  to  become  proficient. 

2.  Employees  desiring  to  become  dictaphone  operators  must  take 
a  test  in  typing.  Up  to  the  present  time  the  department  of  training 
has  not  seen  fit  to  give  courses  in  typing;  however,  arrangements 
with  public  schools  and  other  schools  are  made  for  the  training  of 
those  employees  who  desire  to  follow  this  line  of  work.  It  is  the 
department's  policy  never  to  duplicate  the  work  of  the  evening  schools 
except  where  absolutely  necessary.  The  operation  of  the  dictaphone 
is  merely  a  matter  of  practice,  once  the  operator  is  a  good  typist. 
Training  is  given  by  our  supervisor  of  correspondence  at  suitable 
hours  during  the  day. 

3.  Employees  desiring  to  become  bureau  of  investigation  tracers 
are  offered  a  course  including  store  system,  store  directory,  and 
store  policy,  as  required  in  good  complaint  tracing.  After  a  two 
weeks'  course  in  the  above-mentioned  subjects  the  students  are  as- 
signed to  skilful  tracers,  who  give  them  a  practical  idea  of  the 
work.  Students  continue  to  work  under  supervision  until  they  are 
able  to  show  that  they  work  on  their  own  initiative.  Tracing  requires 
an  analytical  mind  and  a  very  thorough  knowledge  of  the  subjects 
taught. 

4.  Employees  desiring  to  become  receiving  clerks  must  first  of 
all  have  or  learn  to  have  a  very  legible  handwriting.  The  course 
offered  consists  in  teaching  the  applicant  the  use  of  the  various  forms 
to  be  met  with  in  his  work.  He  must  learn  to  read  railroad  and 
express  documents  and  manufacturers'  invoices  intelligently,  in  order 
that  a  proper  record  may  be  made  of  all  articles  received  in  the 
store.  He  also  must  know  where  to  send  each  article  in  case  the 
department  numbers  and  other  necessary  information  are  omitted  on 
the  invoices.  This  requires  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  store 
directory.  In  addition  to  this,  a  course  in  denominate  numbers  is 
very  essential.  After  a  few  days  of  this  training  depending  on 
the  rapidity  with  which  the  applicant  grasps  the  work,  he  is  sent 
to  the  receiving  platform  where  he  works  under  the  supervision  of 
an  instructor  who  teaches  him  the  numerous  details  connected  with 
the  work. 

5.  Employees  desiring  to  become  entry  clerks  must  have  or  learn 
to  have  a  very  legible  handwriting.     The  course  offered  consists  in 


DEPARTMENT   STORE   TRAINING — R.    H.    MACY        541 

teaching  the  applicant  to  read  intelligently  the  different  kinds  of 
address  tickets  on  all  the  packages  leaving  the  store  through  the 
delivery  department,  in  order  to  make  a  proper  record  of  them. 
This  involves  a  limited  knowledge  of  store  system  and  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  delivery  rules  and  regulations.  After  a  short  period 
of  training  in  these  subjects  in  conjunction  with  actual  packages 
and  forms,  the  applicant  is  sent  to  the  delivery  department  where 
he  works  under  the  supervision  of  an  instructor  until  he  becomes 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  details  of  the  work. 

6.  Employees  desiring  to  take  general  clerical  work,  where  no 
special  amount  of  skill  in  any  line  is  necessary  except  the  skill 
acquired  by  practice,  are  put  to  work  with  an  employee  who  is 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  work  and  who  is  able  to  instruct 
the  beginner  without  allowing  bad  habits  to  develop.  Under  the 
heading  "general  clerical  work"  comes  filing  and  sorting.  In  this 
work  special  instruction  is  given  by  our  supervisor  of  correspondence. 

In  addition  to  the  above  there  are  many  other  branches  of  special- 
ized training:  section  managers,  drivers,  wagon  boys,  elevator  men 
and  women,  women  lens  grinders,  women  stationery-stampers,  women 
furniture  polishers,  etc.;  however,  as  these  are  not  classified  under 
office  work  they  will  receive  no  more  than  mention. 

In  brief,  institutional  training  should  begin  at  a  fixed  minimum 
standard  of  elementary  education.  To  this  education  should  be  added 
instruction  applying  elementary  subjects  to  business.  From  this  stage, 
specialized  training  may  begin.  Training  begins  with  generalities 
and  as  it  progresses  becomes  more  and  more  specialized. 

It  is  Macy's  policy  that  those  who  have  been  trained  in  her 
methods  shall  be  awarded  the  higher  positions  and  that  the  lowest 
vacancies  caused  by  such  advancement  shall  be  filled  by  employing 
young  men  and  women  without  special  training.  It  is  this  policy 
that  makes  training  an  essential. 

Although  training  is  the  pass-word  of  Macy's,  still  let  us  realize 
that  it  is  only  in  the  primary  or  experimental  stage.  Nothing  will 
check  its  progress  toward  an  even  higher  standard. 


542 


APPENDIX 


Preparatory  Course  for  Training  Merchandise 
Executives — Schedule  of  Lectures 


Tuesday,  January  7 
Friday,  January  10 

Tuesday,  January  14 
Friday,  January  17 
Tuesday,  January  21 


1.  Opening  exercises. 

2.  Lecture  by  Mr.  Percy  S.  Straus:  the  gen- 
eral policies  of  R.  H.  Macy  and  Com- 
pany. 

Business  Arithmetic: 

1.  Selection  of  auxiliary  course. 

2.  Relation  of  figures  to  every-day  busi- 
ness, 

3.  Percentages. 
Business  Arithmetic:  percentages,  mark-ups, 

mark-downs,  help  and  advertising  per- 
centages, gross  and  net  profit. 

1.  Explanation  of  buyers*  weekly  statements. 

2.  How  to  compare  figures  of  the  current 
year  with  those  of  the  previous  year. 

1.  Mark-downs  and  their  relations  to  our  gen- 

eral policies. 

2.  Principles   of   Macy's   cash   buying,   cash 

selling,  and  underselling  policy. 
Friday,  January  24  i.  Reason   for  different  profits  in  different 

departments. 

2.  How  to  determine  the  selling  price  of  mer- 
chandise, with  a  view  to  the  required 
percentage  of  mark-up. 

Relation  of  buyer  to  manufacturer  and  his 
representatives. 

The  corr-ect  moral  standard  of  a  buyer  in  his 
dealings  with  manufacturers. 

Duties  and  obligations  of  the  buyer  in  his 
dealings  with  manufacturers. 

Reasons  on  which  to  base  buying: 

I.  How  to  supply  demands  for  stable  goods 
— high-priced  goods  and  goods  subject 
to  style. 


Tuesday,  January  28 


Friday,  January  31 


DEPARTMENT   STORE   TRAINING R.    H.    MACY       543 


3. 


Tuesday,  February  4      i. 


2. 


Friday,  February  7 
Tuesday,  February  11 


The  importance  of  call  slips  and  general 
buying  information  from  the  heads  of 
stocks  and  sales  clerks. 

How  to  create  and  supply  artificial  de- 
mands. 

How  to  obtain  special  prices  and  other 

concessions  from  manufacturers. 
Buying    for    special    offerings    and    the 
dangers  which  are  to  be  avoided. 
3.  Reason  for  preference  of  M.  O.  M.  mer- 
chandise. 

Resume. 


Friday,  February  14 
Tuesday,  February  18 


Receiving  of  merchandise,  examining  mer- 
chandise, pricing. 

Reserve  and  forward  stocks,  the  dangers  of 
reserve  stocks. 

Display  of  merchandise  in  forward  stock. 

The  principles  of  good  stock-keeping. 

How  to  handle  normal   selling  and  special 
sales. 

The  right  policy  in  regard  to  bargain  tables. 

The  training  of  sales  clerks  by  the  depart- 
ment manager. 

The  need  of  dignifying  selling  as  a  profes- 
sion. 

How  does  the   department  manager   obtain 
the  best  results  from  his  sales  clerks? 
Friday,  February  21       i.  Advertising    from   the    department    man- 
ager's standpoint. 

2.  Why  does  a  department  decrease  in  sales 
and  what  can  be  done? 
Tuesday,  February  25     i.  The  functions  and  policies  of  the  general 

management  and  its  representatives,  co- 
operation on  the  part  of  the  department 
manager  and  the  results. 

2.  The  value  of  esprit  de  corps. 

I.  Safe  proportion  between   existing  stocks 
and  prospective  buying  and  selling. 


Friday,  February  28 


544 


APPENDIX 


Friday,  March  7 


Tuesday,  March  11 


Friday,   March    14 


Tuesday,  March  18 


Friday,   March  21 


2.  How  to  figure  buying  limits  in  their  rela- 

tion to  end  of  the  season    (inventory) 
stocks. 

3.  Turnovers. 

4.  How  to  increase  sales  without  increasing 

stocks. 


Tuesday,  March  4  i. 


2. 


Mark-downs    and    slowly    moving    mer- 
chandise. 
How  to  keep  stocks  moving  and  how  to 
treat  old-season  letters. 
3.  The  merchandising  advantages  of  depart- 
ments without  much  old  stock. 

1.  Relation   between   original  mark-ups   and 

ultimate  gross  profit. 

2.  Explanation  of  the  department  manager's 

weekly  statement. 

3.  Symptoms  of  business  conditions  as  they 

appear  on  the  weekly  statement. 

1.  Advertising   from   the   point   of   view   of 

the  advertising  department.  General 
policies  and  problems.  Misrepresenta- 
tion and  its  consequences. 

2.  Technical  points  of  information. 

1.  The  advantage  of  our  training  school  for 

employees  to  the  individual  department 
and  to  the  department  manager. 

2.  Personal  work  in  department  of  training. 

1.  The   duties   of   the    department   manager 

towards  the  employment  bureau  and  how 
to  get  the  best  results. 

2.  Policies  and  problems  of  the  comparison 

department.  Co-operation  of  the  de- 
partment manager  and  how  to  get  the 
best  results. 

1.  Resourcefulness,    initiative,   and   business 

intuition. 

2.  The  prospective  and  retrospective  brain. 

3.  General  advice  for  the  ambitious. 


DEPARTMENT  STORE  TRAINING — R.   H.   MACY       545 


Tuesday,  March  25 


Friday,  March  28 


Tuesday,  April  i 


On  or  about  April  2 


1.  The  mental  attitude  of  a  department  man- 

ager towards  his  position. 

2.  The   moral    obligation    of    a    department 

manager  towards  his  employer. 

1.  Our  policy  in  regard  to  M.  O.  M.  mer- 

chandise. 

2.  The  opportunity  for  successful  careers  at 

R.  H.  Macy  and  Company. 
Short  repetitions  of  the  lectures  on  buying, 

selling,  and  merchandising  and  informal 

examination  by  the  staff  of  teachers. 
General    examinations    and   presentation   of 

the  class  to  the  firm  and  the  council. 


APPENDIX  J 

EXCERPTS  FROM  WELFARE  PAMPHLET  ISSUED 
TO  EMPLOYEES  OF  METROPOLITAN  LIFE 
INSURANCE  COMPANY  CONCERN- 
ING  EDUCATION^ 

The  company  has  felt  that  by  training  its  employees  it  would 
secure  a  more  coherent  and  interested  working  force.  Classes  of 
various  kinds  have  consequently  been  organized,  and  facilities  have 
been  offered  to  employees  for  personal  development. 

Correspondence  Course  on  the  Principles  of  Life  Insurance 

The  need  of  a  systematic  training  in  the  principles  of  life  in- 
surance was  felt  for  a  long  time,  and  in  1909  a  correspondence  course 
was  organized.  This  sought  by  simple  lessons  to  teach  various  em- 
ployees the  fundamentals  of  life  insurance.  The  success  has  been 
tested  not  only  to  the  value  of  its  graduates,  but  by  the  demands 
that  are  made  upon  the  company  for  copies  of  the  lessons  for  use 
in  classes  in  colleges  and  high  schools.  The  total  number  of  enrol- 
ments to  date  has  been  31,667.  At  present  3,019  persons  are  enrolled. 
The  cost  per  graduate  was  $5.53. 

Stenographic  Classes 

These  classes  are  open  to  any  home  office  employee  having  an 
elementary  knowledge  of  stenography  and  typewriting.  As  the  clerks 
show  progress,  they  are  advanced  from  one  class  to  another,  and 
gradually  become  eligible  for  the  stenographic  force  of  the  home 
office.  In  order  of  merit  they  are  transferred  to  the  stenographic 
section  and  developed  into  experienced  stenographers.  There  are 
between  45  and  50  members  in  each  class. 

Mathematical  Classes 

Under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  actuary,  there  are  three  classes 


» See  Chapter  XXVII. 

546 


COURSES — METROPOLITAN  LIFE  CO.  547 

in  mathematics.  These  are  essentially  for  preparation  for  the  ex- 
amination of  the  actuarial  society,  and  are  open  to  employees  in 
the  actuarial  division  desirous  of  qualifying  as  members  of  the  society. 
The  classes  have  a  total  attendance  of  39. 

Library 

The  interest  in  the  company's  library  continues  to  grow.  The 
membership  and  circulation  have  increased  noticeably.  The  former 
is  now  3,293,  of  whom  200  are  tenants.  The  average  daily  circulation 
was  130,  and  the  largest  circulation  in  any  one  day  was  368.  The 
total  circulation  is  36,698.  To  the  reference  room,  10,947  visits  were 
made,  and  to  the  reading  room,  8,359.  The  present  number  of 
books  and  pamphlets  in  the  library  is  21,268. 

Sewing  and  Millinery  Classes 

Realizing  that  many  employees  would  be  glad  to  avail  themselves 
of  opportunities  for  increasing  their  knowledge  of  sewing  and  mil- 
linery, the  company  organized  a  sewing-room  with  six  power 
machines,  and  put  a  trained  dressmaker  in  charge.  In  addition  to 
the  machines,  there  are  facilities  for  fitting  and  pressing.  During 
the  year  a  large  number  of  employees  availed  themselves  of  the 
opportunity,  and  many  dresses  were  made.  The  attendance  during 
the  year  averaged  130  persons  per  month. 

During  the  year,  millinery  classes  under  trained  teachers  were 
installed  to  instruct  clerks  in  making  and  trimming  their  own  hats. 
There  were  over  400  different  members  of  the  classes.  Two  teachers 
were  employed. 


APPENDIX  K 

HEALTH  DEPARTMENT  OF   METROPOLITAN 
LIFE   INSURANCE   COMPANY^ 

Annual  Medical  Examinations 

A  brief  resume  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company's 
provisions  for  physical  care  of  employees  is  given  in  this  connection. 
All  employees  in  the  service  of  the  company  are  subjected  to  an 
annual  medical  examination;  the  employees  in  the  home  office  by  a 
special  group  of  examiners  and  those  in  the  field  by  the  company's 
regular  medical  examiners.  This  has  been  the  rule  since  the  year 
1917.  The  examination  is  of  the  same  type  as  that  required  of 
applicants  for  life  insurance.  It  is  as  thorough  as  that  given  to 
applicants  for  employment.  The  aims  of  the  examination  are,  how- 
ever, very  different.     The  purposes  are  as  follows: 

1.  Detection  of  disease  in  its  incipient  stage. 

2.  Correction  of  ascertained  minor  defects. 

3.  Encouragement  of  treatment. 

4.  Prevention  of  disease. 

While  all  employees  are  at  present  examined  annwally,  additional 
examinations  are  made  of  employees  in  the  commissary  department. 
The  purpose  of  this  is  evident.  Danger  of  transmission  of  contagious 
diseases  through  the  handling  of  food  is  well  known.  It  is  particularly 
important  that  the  company  protect  its  employees  by  carefully  guard- 
ing the  health  of  those  engaged  in  preparing  and  serving  food  for 
home  office  use. 

Dispensary 

The  ratio  of  medical  and  surgical  cases  and  also  the  number 
of  men  and  women  visting  the  dispensary  has  remained  about  the 
same.  A  daily  average  of  over  100  visits  has  been  maintained 
throughout  the  twelve  months.    A  statement  of  the  visits  made,  how- 


» See  Chapter  XXVIIL 

548 


HEALTH   DEPT. — METROPOLITAN   LIFE   CO.  549 

ever,  indicates  in  no  measure  the  extent  of  the  service  rendered  by 
the  dispensary.  It  carries  on  many  activities  besides  emergency 
medical  care.  An  oculist  is  employed  half-time.  An  optical  clinic 
is  held  regularly  every  afternoon.  Refraction  tests  are  made  and 
dispensary  work  done.  In  addition,  an  optician  is  present  three 
afternoons  each  week  to  fit  and  adjust  glasses  furnished  at  wholesale 
rates. 

In  twelve  months,  1,768  visits  were  made  to  the  clinic,  and  2,542 
to  the  optician.  200  pairs  of  glasses  were  loaned.  Repairs  were 
made  for  2,784  persons.  The  hopes  expressed  in  the  inauguration 
of  the  dental  dispensary  have  fully  materialized.  The  original  offer 
to  clerks  stated  that  the  company  would  examine  and  cleanse  teeth 
semiannually,  free  of  cost.  During  one  year,  3,101  such  examinations 
and  cleansings  were  made  and  4,950  emergency  cases  were  treated. 
It  is  fair  to  assume  that  if  the  dispensary  were  not  available  for 
clerks,  a  loss  of  at  least  one-half  day's  time  would  have  resulted 
in  every  case.  During  the  same  year,  4,483  X-ray  pictures  were 
taken  because  of  suspected  serious  conditions  in  the  teeth.  A  careful 
analysis  of  the  reports  is  now  being  made '  in  order  to  trace  the 
relationship  between  the  dental  records  and  clerical  inefiiciency,  in 
those  clerks  who  have  bad  teeth. 

Tuberculosis  Sanatarium 

The  sanatarium  for  tuberculosis  patients  was  opened  in  November, 
19 13,  with  the  primary  object  of  caring  for  tuberculous  employees, 
and  a  secondary,  but  hardly  less  important  mission  of  disseminating 
knowledge  regarding  the  prevention  of  tuberculosis.  Its  present  total 
capacity  is  309  beds.  It  has  discharged  717  patients  up  to  January  i, 
1918.  Of  these,  588  were  afflicted  with  tuberculosis  and  129  with 
other  ailments. 

In  one  year,  the  number  of  tuberculosis  patients  discharged  was 
271.  Of  these,  66  per  cent  were  in  the  incipient  stage,  31  per  cent 
were  moderately  advanced,  and  2  per  cent  were  far  advanced.  There 
were  discharged  71  patients  suffering  from  diseases  or  conditions 
other  than  tuberculosis,  giving  a  total  of  342  discharges  in  one  year. 
Of  the  total  number  of  persons  discharged,  159  were  from  the  home 
office,  and  183  from  the  field  force.  Thirty-one  states  and  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  were  represented  in  the  total  number. 

It  should  be  noted  that  there  has  been  a  steady  yearly  increase  in 
the  admission  of  incipient  cases.    This  is  one  of  the  most  gratifying 


550  APPENDIX 

features  of  the  work,  Indicating  as  it  does  a  genuine  effort  to  secure 
treatment  when  it  will  avail  most.  The  age  incidence  of  the  tuber- 
culosis patients  (80  per  cent  between  the  twentieth  and  fortieth 
years)  indicates  more  pressingly  than  ever  the  necessity  of  recog- 
nizing tuberculosis  while  full  working  efficiency  can  be  restored. 

Subsequent  Reports  to  Medical  Division 

On  returning  from  the  sanatarium,  each  home  office  clerk,  for  a 
period  of  six  months,  reports  biweekly  to  the  medical  division  to 
be  weighed,  and  bimonthly  for  a  careful  medical  examination.  After 
this,  an  examination  is  made  every  t'  ree  months  for  an  additional 
year.  In  this  way  the  cases  are  carefully  watched,  and  at  the  first 
sign  of  recurrence  are  returned  to  the  sanatarium. 

A  careful  study  of  tubercular  clerks  who  have  returned  to  the 
home  office  has  been  made,  including  the  examination  of  400  assisted 
cases.  During  one  year,  161  clerks  were  sent  to  the  sanatarium, 
including  6  who  had  relapsed  to  their  tubercular  condition;  and 
of  the  total  number,  98  were  returned  to  active  service  from  the 
sanatarium.  Clerks  who  are  anemic  or  in  a  tuberculous  condition 
report  to  the  medical  restroom  twice  daily  for  milk.  During  one 
year  there  was  a  daily  average  of  55.  In  this  way,  their  conditions 
have  been  watched,  and  without  doubt  this  preventive  work  has 
helped  to  reduce  the  number  of  cases  of  tuberculosis  among  home 
office  employees. 

Clerks  who  have  been  absent  because  of  illness  of  other  sorts 
are  also  required  to  report  to  the  medical  division  before  they 
return  to  work.  This  is  for  the  double  purpose  of  protecting  con- 
valescents from  going  to  work  before  their  physical  condition  war- 
rants it,  and  to  protect  other  clerks  in  the  home  office  from  the 
possibility  of  infection.  In  addition  to  this,  a  nurse  is  frequently 
sent  to  the  clerk's  home  in  order  to  determine  the  extent  of  illness 
and  to  render  such  assistance  as  may  be  necessary. 


APPENDIX  L 

HEALTH  LETTERS   OF  CONNECTICUT  GENERAL 
LIFE    INSURANCE    COMPANY^ 

Health  Letter  No.  i 
Make  Your  Life  Worth  Living 

Your  success  in  life  depends  upon  your  health  more  than  upon 
any  one  other  thing. 

The  man  who  gets  ahead  is  the  man  who  has  energy  to  spare. 
It  is  out  of  his  energy  that  he  fits  himself  for  a  better  job. 

The  man  who  enjoys  life  is  the  man  who  has  the  health  to 
enjoy  life  with. 

Good  health  is  natural.  Animals  and  plants  are  seldom  sick. 
Human  beings  would  not  be  sick  if  they  did  not  live  in  defiance 
of  the  laws  of  health.  Some  of  the  conditions  of  modern  life  we 
have  not  yet  learned  to  contend  with,  so  a  certain  amount  of  sickness 
is  inevitable,  but  at  least  half  the  sickness  of  this  country  is  pre- 
ventable. 

It  ought  to  be  everybody's  ambition  to  be  sound  of  health.  He 
should  take  pride  and  joy  in  building  up  a  body  that  he  knows 
will  not  break  down  at  the  first  extra  strain.  He  ought  to  glory  in 
the  knowledge  that  his  family  can  absolutely  depend  on  him  to 
"carry  on,"  that  he  is  not  likely  to  fall  sick  and  be  a  burden  to 
them. 

How  many  men  feel  that  way,  or  have  any  right  to  feel  that 
way?  Few,  very  few,  after  age  40.  Of  the  young  men  between 
21  and  31  years  examined  for  the  first  draft,  more  than  one-third 
were  rejected  on  account  of  physical  defects — defects  that  often 
meant  they  were  likely  to  give  out  at  any  time  and  be  of  no  use 
to  the  army. 

Such  defects  are  of  course  more  common  among  older  men. 
They  can  be  corrected — better  still,  they  can  be  prevented.    We  do 


1  See  Chapter  XXVIII. 


552  APPENDIX 

not  need  to  go  through  life  handicapped  by  poor  health.  We  can 
free  ourselves  from  the  habits  which  are  the  cause  of  our  physical 
defects  and  low  vitality.  We  can  so  live  that  not  only  will  we 
escape  being  actually  sick,  but  we  will  be  brimming  over  with 
surplus  energy,  be  exuberantly  healthy  and  happy.  We  can  so  live 
that  we  will  not  know  what  it  is  to  be  tired,  to  have  a  headache 
or  a  cold. 

The  steps  which  have  been  taken  to  protect  your  family  against 
the  financial  loss  your  death  would  cause  should  be  followed  by 
an  effort  on  your  part  to  protect  and  improve  your  health.  No 
money  payment  can  repay  your  family  for  your  untimely  death. 
You  owe  it  to  them  to  live  long. 

This  letter  is  the  first  of  a  series  which  will  be  issued  from  time 
to  time.  It  is  our  plan  to  take  up  the  commonest  causes  of  poor 
health  and  point  out  the  remedies. 

You  have  the  privilege  of  writing  the  medical  department  any 
question  connected  with  the  subjects  discussed  in  these  letters.  These 
questions  will  be  answered  either  individually  or  in  subsequent 
letters. 


Health  Letter  No.  2 
Pneumonia  and  Fresh  Air 

Heart  disease  causes  more  deaths  than  any  other  disease;  next 
comes  consumption,  and  then  comes  pneumonia. 

Pneumonia  more  frequently  attacks  men  than  women,  and  it 
usually  attacks  them  in  the  prime  of  life. 

It  attacks  the  strong  and  robust  fully  as  frequently  as  it  does 
the  feeble  and  frail. 

It  is  more  prevalent  in  the  winter  than  at  other  seasons  of  the 
year,  the  marked  exception  to  this  rule  being  the  pneumonia  which 
complicated  the  influenza  prevailing  in  the  fall  of  1918.  Pneumonia 
usually  begins  with  a  pronounced  chill.  Sometimes  there  are  no 
symptoms  before  the  chill,  but  much  more  frequently  there  has  been 
a  cold  in  the  head  or  a  sore  throat  or  a  cough  for  several  days 
before  the  chill.  Especially  is  the  influenzal  pneumonia  liable  to  be 
preceded  by  fever,  sore  throat,  headache,  and  pain  in  the  back. 

What  can  we  do  to  guard  against  pneumonia? 


HEALTH   LETTERS — CONN.    GENERAL   LIFE   CO.      553 

1.  Avoid  getting  overtired,  and  be  sure  to  get  the  full  allowance 
of  sleep. 

2.  Avoid  crowds  and  stuffy,  overheated  rooms. 

3.  Walk  daily  in  the  open  air,  and  see  that  the  bedroom  is  well 
ventilated. 

4.  Avoid  damp  clothes  and  footwear.  If  they  become  damp, 
change  to  dry  ones  as  soon  as  possible. 

5.  Any  sort  of  a  cold  should  be  closely  watched;  if  it  is  growing 
worse,  go  to  bed  and  send  for  the  doctor. 

6.  If  there  are  fever,  headache,  and  pain  in  the  back  and  legs 
(symptoms  of  influenza),  go  to  bed  and  send  for  the  doctor. 

7.  After  an  attack  of  influenza,  be  especially  careful  for  the  first 
week  to  avoid  getting  tired,  and  don't  try  to  hasten  recovery  by 
taking  a  lot  of  exercise. 

Out-of-Door  Living  at  Home 

Air  is  the  first  necessity  of  life.  We  can  live  without  food  or 
water  for  hours,  even  days,  but  we  can  live  without  air  only  for 
a  few  minutes. 

Good  air  is  as  important  as  good  food  or  water.  It  is  within 
the  reach  of  nearly  everyone. 

Ventilating  the  Living-Room.  What  are  the  features  of  a  good 
air  supply? 

1.  Motion 

2.  Coolness 

3.  Freshness 

Get  accustomed  to  air  in  motion.  You  should  not  breathe  the 
same  air  over  and  over  again.  Any  prolonged  draft  causing  a  chilly 
feeling  is  to  be  avoided,  but  the  habit  of  exposure  to  a  gentle  draft 
makes  one  less  sensitive  to  cold. 

Air  can  be  kept  moving  by  opening  the  window  slightly  at  both 
top  and  bottom.  A  window  board  standing  on  edge  placed  vertically 
three  or  four  inches  in  front  of  the  window  and  fastened  to  the 
window  frame  will  send  the  cold  air  upward  into  the  room  when 
the  window  is  raised  slightly.  The  cold,  fresh  air  in  this  way  reaches 
the  breathing  zone,  instead  of  flowing  onto  the  floor  and  chilling 
the  feet. 

The  temperature  of  living  and  working  rooms  should  not  be 
above  70  degrees  and  for  people  who  have  not  already  lost  their 
vigor  a  temperature  of  5  or  10  degrees  lower  is  better. 


554  APPENDIX 

Sleep  Out  of  Doors.  You  cannot  work  out  of  doors  nor  get 
out-of-door  conditions  in  your  living-rooms,  but  you  can  control 
the  air  supply  when  you  are  asleep.  We  spend  or  should  spend 
one-third  of  our  time  in  bed.  We  can  all  sleep  out  of  doors  or 
practically  out  of  doors. 

Some  years  ago  Dr.  Millet,  a  physician  of  Brockton,  Massachu- 
setts, prescribed  out-of-door  sleeping  for  tuberculous  shoe  factory 
operatives  and  showed  them  how  to  construct  inexpensive  sleeping- 
porches.  In  spite  of  unsanitary  surroundings  they  usually  conquered 
the  disease  in  a  few  months. 

Out-of-door  sleeping  is  prescribed  not  only  for  tuberculosis,  but 
for  nervous  troubles  and  pneumonia.  It  increases  the  power  to 
resist  disease  and  greatly  promotes  physical  vigor,  endurance,  and 
working  power.  There  is  no  ground  for  the  common  fear  of 
dampness  and  night  air.  In  cities  night  air  is  purer  than  day  air. 
There  is  less  traffic  to  stir  dust. 

The  use  of  an  inside  window  tent,  costing  about  $6,  is  usually 
more  convenient  than  sleeping  wholly  out  of  doors.  Only  the  head 
is  exposed  to  the  outside  air,  the  body  remaining  in  the  room  which 
may  be  left  at  normal  temperature. 


Health  Letter  No.  3 
Our  Food 

In  keeping  ourselves  in  condition  to  enjoy  life  and  to  do  good 
work,  proper  food  plays  as  large  a  part  as  anything.  While  no 
strict  rules  can  be  laid  down  which  will  apply  to  everyone  alike, 
a  knowledge  of  what  different  kinds  of  food  do  for  us  ought  to  be 
helpful  to  everyone. 

Foods  may  be  roughly  divided  into  three  classes.  The  first  class, 
containing  a  large  percentage  of  what  is  called  protein,  does  most 
of  the  work  of  building  the  body  during  youth,  restoring  waste  and 
keeping  the  body  in  repair  throughout  life.  Then  there  are  foods 
upon  which  the  body  depends  for  heat  and  energy  and  which  also 
produce  fat.  Finally  there  is  a  third  class  not  very  well  understood 
containing  comparatively  little  nourishment  but  having  a  beneficial 
effect  upon  the  system. 

Foods  of  the  first  class,  which  contain  the  largest  amounts  of 
protein,   are   such   things   as   lean   meat,    fish,   beans,   cheese,   eggs. 


HEALTH   LETTERS — CONN.   GENERAL  LIFE  CO.      555 

Protein,  however,  is  present  in  larger  or  smaller  quantities  in  most 
of  the  foods  that  are  in  common  use,  particularly  in  the  foods  made 
from  grain.  Young  people  who  are  growing  fast  and  whose  bone 
and  muscle  are  being  constantly  built  up  and  whose  bodily  activity 
is  great  can  absorb  larger  quantities  of  protein  with  beneficial  results 
than  older  persons,  and  those  who  are  engaged  in  occupations  which 
create  a  continual  waste  of  muscular  tissue  need  more  of  this  kind 
of  food  than  those  whose  occupations  are  sedentary. 

The  second  class  of  foods  is  that  upon  which  we  chiefly  depend 
for  heat  and  energy  and  which  also  produces  fat.  To  this  class 
belong  butter  and  cream  and  all  of  the  cereal  food,  particularly 
corn.  One  should  consume  more  fat  and  fat-producing  food  in  the 
winter  than  in  the  summer.  It  is  in  the  use  of  these  first  two  kinds 
of  foods,  heavy  with  protein  and  heavy  with  fat-producing  qualities, 
that  the  greatest  errors  in  eating  are  made. 

The  third  class,  to  which  belong  nuts,  fruits,  and  certain  imcooked 
vegetables,  supply  an  element  which,  though  not  strictly  speaking 
nourishing,  is  essential  to  our  physical  well-being. 

Most  authorities  on  food  agree  that  we  eat  too  much.  It  is 
probably  true  that  the  average  man  above  thirty  takes  too  much 
nourishment  into  his  system.  We  come  to  the  table  with  a  good 
appetite  and  sit  down  and  eat  until  our  appetite  is  satisfied,  or 
nearly  so,  and  it  always  seems  to  every  normal  human  being  as 
if  his  appetite  was  a  fair  guide  on  the  subject  of  how  much  he 
should  eat.  This  is  not,  however,  entirely  true,  and  yet  every  man 
who  is  doing  work  wants  to  have  the  sensation  of  having  a  fairly 
full  stomach  after  meals. 

The  way  to  have  this  comfortable  feeling  and  enjoyment  of  one's 
meals  is  to  eat  in  a  fairly  large  proportion  those  foods  which 
contain  no  great  amount  of  nourishment.  Fruits,  raw  or  cooked, 
tomatoes,  celery,  greens  of  every  sort,  turnips,  carrots,  and  in  short 
any  food  which  might  be  termed  bulky.  Such  foods,  particularly 
greens,  also  aid  the  digestion  in  acting  as  mild  laxatives. 

Each  meal  should  be  a  combination  of  the  different  classes  of 
food.  Potatoes  and  rice  together  would  be  an  extravagant  use  of 
fuel.  Baked  beans  and  peas  together  would  furnish  more  tissue 
building  material  than  the  body  needs  or  wants.  Potatoes  and 
beets  or  baked  beans  and  spinach  or  a  little  meat  and  a  big  potato, 
with  some  uncooked  fruit  or  vegetables  are  better  for  us. 

As  a  general  proposition,  it  is  not  necessary  to  prescribe  what 


55b  APPENDIX 

kind  of  food  a  man  who  works  with  his  body  on  an  outdoor  job 
ought  to  take,  but  those  of  us  who  work  indoors  and  whose  work 
is  not  heavy  bodily  work,  as  a  rule  are  in  danger  of  overeating, 
and  the  best  way  to  counteract  this  tendency  is  to  eat  more  of  the 
bulky  and  less  nourishing  foods  and  less  of  the  concentrated  ones. 


Health  Letter  Ho.  4 
Our  Teeth 

With  defective  and  missing  teeth  we  can  no  more  expect  to 
chew  or  grind  our  food  properly  than  a  miller  with  broken  mill- 
stones could  be  expected  to  grind  his  corn  or  wheat  properly .«  More- 
over, the  pus  and  poisonous  matter  from  defective  teeth  frequently 
cause  indigestion  and  other  stomach  disorders,  rheumatism,  heart 
disease,  and  other  serious  troubles  in  remote  parts  of  the  body. 
Consequently,  if  we  don't  take  proper  care  of  our  teeth,  not  only 
will  we  suffer  pain  and  discomfort  from  them,  but  we  won't  get 
"our  money's  worth"  out  of  our  food,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  is 
not  being  properly  prepared  for  the  stomach.  We  will  render 
ourselves  liable  to  many  diseases  of  a  serious  nature  and  ultimately 
we  will  be  put  to  a  considerable  expense,  if,  after  years  of  neglect, 
we  undertake  to  have  the  teeth  put  in  order  by  a  dentist.  The  old 
saying  "A  stitch  in  time  saves  nine"  is  especially  appropriate  to 
the  way  we  act  with  reference  to  the  care  of  our  teeth. 

The  two  principal  tooth  disorders  are  decay  and  tartar. 

Decay.  When  particles  of  food  are  allowed  to  lodge  on  or 
between  the  teeth,  they  ferment  and  form  an  acid  which  dissolves 
the  lime  of  the  teeth,  and  thus  decay  sets  in.  Particles  of  candy, 
sugar,  crackers,  cake,  and  pastry  and  bread  are  especially  liable  to 
produce  this  decay. 

Tartar.  This  is  a  deposit  from  the  saliva  which  forms  around 
the  necks  of  the  teeth  at  the  edge  of  the  gums.  This  causes  the 
gums  to  become  swollen,  sore,  and  bleeding.  Later  the  gums  recede, 
thtts  exposing  the  more  delicate  portions  of  the  tooth  to  decay. 

How  to  Care  for  the  Teeth 

I.  Do  not  Mse  a  toothbrush  with  a  flat  bristle  surface;  it  does 
not  clean  between  the  teeth  nearly  as  well  as  one  having  irregular 
or  tufted  bristles.     The  bristles  should  be  short.     A  medium  stiff 


HEALTH   LETTERS — CONN.   GENERAL  LIFE   CO.      557 

bristle  is  best  for  adults;  bristles  thafare  very  stiff  may  injure  the 
gums. 

2.  Don't  place  too  much  reliance  on  tooth-powders  and  pastes. 
Thorough  brushing  with  plain  water  is  sufficient  if  done  on  all 
surfaces  of  the  teeth  and  gums,  the  occasional  use  of  powder  pro- 
tecting against  the  accumulation  of  tartar.  The  use  of  powder  daily 
will  surely  thin  the  enamel.  Almost  any  of  the  prepared  tooth- 
powders  or  pastes  now  on  the  market  are  satisfactory. 

3.  Brush  at  least  twice  a  day — before  breakfast  and  before  going 
to  bed.  Remember  that  it  is  at  night,  when  we  are  asleep,  that  most 
damage  is  done  to  the  teeth. 

4.  Do  not  use  pressure  with  the  brush — a  fast  light  stroke  is  the 
best. 

5.  Do  not  brush  the  teeth  and  gums  crosswise.  Brush  the  outside 
surfaces  of  the  teeth  and  gums  first — then  the  inside,  and  finally 
the  top  surfaces  of  the  teeth.  In  brushing  the  outside  and  the  inside 
surfaces  brush  from  the  gum  toward  the  tops  of  the  teeth,  using 
a  circular  motion.  In  brushing  the  top  surfaces  of  the  teeth,  use 
an  in-and-out  stroke.    Take  your  time  to  it  and  do  it  thoroughly. 

6.  In  brushing  the  teeth,  be  sure  to  include  the  gums.  The 
brushing  of  the  gums  stimulates  their  circulation  and  also  cleans  the 
teeth  at  the  gum  margins,  where  the  tartar  tends  to  accumulate. 

7.  Don't  forget  the  tongue.  Tartar  and  germs  accumulate  on  it, 
and  it  should  be  brushed  as  regularly  as  the  teeth. 

8.  After  each  meal  food  particles  should  always  be  removed  from 
between  the  teeth  by  means  of  dental  floss,  and,  if  possible,  the 
mouth  should  be  rinsed  out  by  forcing  a  mouthful  of  water  around 
and  between  the  teeth  by  means  of  the  tongue  and  cheeks. 

9.  Finally,  and  this  is  of  great  importance,  go  regularly  twice 
a  year  to  a  competent  dentist.  By  having  the  teeth  examined, 
cleaned,  and  any  slight  decays  remedied,  the  teeth  and  mouth  will 
at  all  times  be  kept  in  excellent  condition. 


Health  Letter  No.  5 
The  Best  Exercise — Daily  Walks 

When  people  are  urged  to  take  "exercise,"  their  reply  often  is 
that  they  thoroughly  believe  in  it,  but  "can't  afford  it."  The  popular 
idea  is  that  exercise  is  too  expensive  of  time  and  money  to   be 


558  APPENDIX 

within  reach  of  the  average  person  who  has  to  work  hard  for  a 
living.  We  are  not  going  to  talk  about  the  great  value  of  golf, 
horseback  riding,  and  canoeing.  These  are  delightful  pastimes  and 
good  for  the  health,  but  they  are  not  practical  for  most  of  us,  as 
forms  of  regular  exercise.  Instead,  we  are  going  to  advocate  exer- 
cise which  is  every  day  within  the  reach  of  everyone  except  the 
sick  and  the  crippled.  It  costs  no  money  and  takes  no  time  from 
our  daily  work. 

Daily  Walks.  Few  are  the  people  who  would  not  be  distinctly 
benefited  by  daily  walks.  Postmen,  policemen,  and  farmers  are  of 
course  exempt  from  this  rule,  but  hardly  anyone  else.  It  applies 
as  well  to  the  man  who  works  hard  with  his  muscles  as  to  the  clerk 
who  sits  all  day  on  a  stool. 

When  doctors  advise  daily  walks,  their  chief  object  is  not  to 
strengthen  the  muscles  of  the  legs,  as  many  seem  to  think,  but  to 
bring  about  much  more  important  things. 

When  taking  a  brisk  walk  of  a  mile  or  two,  one  is  forced  to  take 
deeper  and  more  frequent  breaths  than  usual.  Each  breath  fills 
the  lungs  with  fresh  air  instead  of  the  dusty  or  close  indoor  air. 
The  heart  is  obliged  to  beat  with  greater  force  and  frequency,  so 
the  blood  flows  more  rapidly  throughout  the  body  and  brain  and 
becomes  more  evenly  distributed  throughout  the  system. 

As  a  result  of  the  quickened  breathing  and  circulation  and  of 
the  things  to  look  at  on  the  way,  the  brain  is  cleared  and  refreshed. 
Troubles  and  worries  shrink  to  their  proper  proportions,  while  cheer- 
ful thoughts  take  their  places. 

There  are  few  people  who  cannot  work  in  a  brisk  walk  of  a 
mile  and  a  half  or  two  miles  on  their  way  to  work  in  the  morning, 
and  again  on  their  way  home  in  the  evening.  If  the  distance  between 
the  home  and  the  work  place  is  too  great,  ride  the  first  part  of  the 
way.  Except  in  very  hot  weather  the  walk  should  always  be  a 
brisk  one  and  should  be  entered  into  with  great  zest.  In  the  winter 
months  don't  bundle  up  any  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary;  it 
means  just  so  much  more  weight  to  carry  and  it  often  means  ending 
the  walk  in  a  perspiration,  which  is  undesirable  unless  it  is  imme- 
diately followed  by  a  bath.  These  walks  should  be  daily — not  simply 
when  it  happens  to  be  a  "nice  day"  or  when  you  happen  "to  feel 
just  like  it."  Once  the  habit  is  thoroughly  established  you  will  be 
very  loath  ever  to  give  it  up,  for  the  morning  walk  brings  you 
to  your  work  place  alert  and  ready  for  your  day's  work,  while  the 


HEALTH   LETTERS — CONN.   GENERAL  LIFE   CO.      559 

evening  walk  brings  you  back  home  refreshed  and  cheerful.  Try  it ! 
It  costs  nothing  but  a  little  sole  leather  and  does  not  interfere  with 
your  working  hours.    The  rewards  that  it  will  bring  to  you  are: 

1.  You  will  be  less  liable  to  catch  colds  and  other  diseases. 

2.  Your  appetite  and  digestion  will  be  improved. 

3.  Your  bowels  will  be  more  regular. 

4.  You  will  sleep  better. 

5.  Your  head  will  be  clearer  and  you  will  feel  better  and  stronger 
"aU  over." 

6.  You  will  be  more  cheerful  and  life  will  seem  brighter  to  you. 


Health  Letter  No.  6 
The  Folly  of  Dosing  Oneself 

"Our  national  quality  of  commercial  shrewdness  fails  us/*  says 
Samuel  Hopkins  Adams,  "when  we  go  into  the  open  market  to 
purchase  relief  from  suffering.  The  average  American,  when  he 
sets  out  to  buy  a  horse  or  a  box  of  cigars,  is  a  model  of  caution. 
Show  him  testimonials  from  any  number  of  prominent  citizens  and 
he  would  simply  scoff.  Now  observe  the  same  citizen  seeking  to 
buy  the  most  precious  of  all  possessions,  sound  health.  Anybody's 
word  is  good  enough  for  him  here.  He  wouldn't  buy  a  second-hand 
bicycle  on  the  affidavit  of  anyone,  but  he  will  give  up  his  dollar 
and  take  his  chance  of  poison  on  a  mere  newspaper  statement,  which 
he  doesn't  even  investigate." 

Why  is  it  that  we  are  so  "easy"  in  respect  to  patent  medicines? 
Undoubtedly  one  reason  is  because  they  are  very  cleverly  and  skil- 
fully advertised.  The  chief  asset  of  the  prosperous  patent  medicine 
concerns  is  not  their  "medicine"  but  their  advertising  ability  which 
has  brought  them  large  fortunes.  For  example,  there  is  a  well- 
known  simple  digestive  mixture  which  the  doctors  have  been  prescrib- 
ing for  the  last  half -century  and  which  anyone  can  buy  at  any  drug 
store.  A  patent-medicine  concern  put  this  identical  mixture  on  the 
market,  with  a  new  and  striking  name,  made  it  conspicuous  by 
extensive  and  clever  advertising,  and  the  people  eagerly  buy  it, 
paying  just  twice  what  they  would  pay  for  it  under  the  old  name 
at  the  drug  store. 

While   skilful  advertising  is  unquestionably   one   explanation  of 


56o  APPENDIX 

the  thriving  career  of  patent  medicines,  it  is  not  the  whole  explana- 
tion. The  average  person  knows  nothing  about  medicines — what 
their  powers  are  for  good  or  harm,  or  how  they  act.  When  he  is 
buying  other  commodities  he  generally  does  know  something  about 
them.  In  brief,  the  ignorance  and  consequent  gullibility  of  the  public 
helps  the  sale  of  patent  medicines.  Still  another  reason  is  the  mis- 
taken belief  that  it  will  probably  be  cheaper  to  take  a  chance  on 
a  dollar's  worth  of  patent  medicine  than  to  spend  the  dollar  in  the 
doctor's  fee. 

The  taking  of  patent  medicines  is  not  simply  a  waste  of  money, 
but  often  a  waste  of  most  valuable  time.  This  is  especially  true 
of  the  taking  of  so-called  "consumption  cures."  Speaking  of  them, 
you  may  be  sure  that  if  any  one  of  the  concerns  which  advertise 
cures  for  tuberculosis  had  a  real  cure,  the  name  of  the  discoverer 
of  such  a  remedy  would  be  known  to  everyone,  and  every  government 
in  the  world  would  hasten  to  do  him  honor. 

Some  patent  medicines  not  only  waste  your  time  and  money, 
but  are  capable  of  doing  you  distinct  harm;  for  example,  the  great 
majority  of  the  "constipation  cures'*  advertised  in  the  papers.  By 
taking  them  daily  it  is  possible  to  obtain  relief  for  a  considerable 
time,  but  the  final  result  inevitably  is  that  the  poor  victim's  con- 
stipation is  more  stubborn  and  much  harder  to  really  cure  than 
when  he  began  to  take  the  patent  medicine. 

Up  to  within  a  few  years  there  have  been  on  the  market  "catarrh 
cures"  which  led  to  the  cocaine  habit,  "pain-killers"  which  led  to  the 
morphine  habit,  "sleeping  mixtures"  which  led  to  the  chloral  habit, 
and  so-called  "tonics"  which  led  to  the  alcoholic  habit.  The  govern- 
ment has  lately  been  trying  to  pwt  a  stop  to  the  sale  of  these  distinctly 
dangerous  patent  medicines,  but  there  arc  always  unscrupulous  dealers 
who  will  endeavor  to  evade  the  law. 

The  taking  of  patent  medicines  is  absolutely  foolish  from  the 
standpoint  of  health,  of  time,  and  of  money.  In  this  day  and  age 
people  who  pride  themselves  on  being  "sensible"  should  be  ashamed 
to  use  them.  They  should  realize  that  good  health  is  their  most 
important  asset,  and  that  the  pouring  into  the  stomach  of  medicine, 
the  ingredients  and  action  of  which  are  utterly  unknown  to  them, 
is  a  stupid,  even  wicked  procedure. 


INDEX 


Ability  tests,  153-160 

Figures,  156,  158-159 
standards  of  employees  raised  by, 

288 
stenographic,  285 
Absence, 
causes,  233 
following  up,  233,  326 
industrial  employees,  231-237 
interviewing    returning  absentees, 

235 
leave  of,  permit,  76 

Figure,  77 
letter  to  absentees,  78 

Figure,  79 
notification  of  absentee,  78 

Figure,  77 
office  employees,  325-327 
recording  forms,  Figure,  329-330 
reduction,  231,  235,  362 
report  on,  78 

Figure,  79,  329,  335 
visiting  absentees,  234 

Equitable    Life  Assurance  Co., 
326 
Accident  prevention    (See  ' '  Safety  ") 
Accountant,  job  analysis,  266 
Advertising  for  workers, 

blind  advertisements,  119,  256 

Figures,  117,257 
display  advertising,  257 

Figures,  258-259 
fundamentals,  114 
mediums,  1 14-122 


Advertising  for  workers — Continued 
source  of  labor   supply,    1 14-122, 

256-260 
time  for,  120 
Agencies,  employment      (See  "Em- 
ployment agencies") 
Akron,  Ohio,  housing  plan,  Goodyear 

Co.,  431 
Aliens     (See  "Foreign-bom") 
Allen,  Leslie  H.,  421 

housing  essentials,  429 
American  Brass  Co., visiting  nurse,505 
American  Multigraph  Co.,  employees' 

representation,  448-458 
American  Smelting  and  Refining  Co., 
medical    examiner's    certificate. 
Figure,  387 
Americanization,  205,  491-498 

English  classes,  205,  491 
Annuities,  Standard  Oil  Co.,  513-521 
Applicants, 

application  for  position.   Figures, 
39,  47,  50,  51-53,  269 
Chase  National  Bank,  285 

Figure,  286 
Macy,  R.  H.,  and  Co.,  Figure, 

274-275 
Metropohtan  Life  Insurance  Co., 

Figure,  272-273 
United  Cigar  Co.,  Figure,  276- 
277 
faiUng  to  appear  for  positions,  66 
forms  for,  37-53 

Figures,  39,  47,  50,  51-53,  269, 
272-277,  286 


561 


562 


INDEX 


Applicants — Continued 

inquiry  regarding,  Figure,  56 
interviewing,  4,  37-53,  130,  268 
list  of,  264 

medical  examinations,  385 
rating.    Metropolitan    Life    Insur- 
ance Co.,  Figures,  316-319 
references,  55,  135 

Figure,  56 
reminder  to,  66 

Figure,  67 
request  for  interview,  Figure,  63 
Apprenticeship,  203 
Arbitration, 

boards,  239,   440  (See  also   "Em- 
ployees'    representation") 
decisions,  aai 
responsibility,  442 
Standard  Oil  Co.,  442 
Army  trade  tests,  155 

Figure,  156 
Associations,  employees',  370 
Athletics,  373 

Attendance,  231-237,  323-329 
records,  327 
Figure,  329-330 
Auditor,  job  analysis,  266 
Awards     (See  also  "  Bonuses  ") 
for  recommendation  of  workers,  123 
Macy,  R.  H.,  and  Co.,  261 

B 

Badges  (See  "Identification,  badges") 

Banks  within  plants,  366 

Benefit  associations,  377 
Standard  Oil  Co.,  513-521 

Blacksmiths,  tests  for,  United  States 
Army,  Figure,  156 

Blind  advertisements,  1 19,  256 
Figures,  117,  257 
executive  positions.  Figure,  257 

Bloomfield,  Daniel,  "Labor  Mainte- 
nance," 345,  367 

Boarding  houses,  source  of  labor  sup- 
ply, 124 


Bonuses,  358,379  (See  also  "Awards") 
for    punctuality    and    attendance, 

215,  236,  324,  362 
length-of -service,  359 
production,  360 
Bridgeport    Brass    Co.,    employees* 

representation,  446 
Bulletin  boards,  352 


Cafeterias     (See  "Lunchrooms") 
"Candidate  file,"  50 
Certificates,  for  punctuality  and  at- 
tendance, Equitable  Life  Assur- 
ance Co.,  Figure,  325 
Chain  stores,  promotion,  314 
Chambers  of  commerce,  Americaniza- 
tion work,  492 
Character  analysis,  141-143 
Chase  National  Bank, 

application  for  position,  Figure,  286 
employees,  follow-up  record,  298 

Figure,  302 
persoimel  director,  status.  Figure, 

252 
tests,  letter-writing,  285 

Figure,  286 
women  in  employment  department, 
407 
Christmas  savings  funds,  376 
Circulars,  as  advertising  mediums,  120 
City  Bank  Club, 

educational  program,  524 
organization  outline,  370 
Classes  for  foreign-bom,  English,  205, 

491 
Clayton,  O.  T.,  469 
Cleveland    Hardware    Co.,    visiting 

nurse,  502-507 
Clough,  Arthur  F.,  425 
Clubs,  employees',  370 
Colorado  Fuel  and  Iron  Co.,  visiting 

nurses,  503 
Colors,     in    identification    systems, 

161-186 


INDEX 


563 


Commercial  correspondence,  test  for 
employment,     Chase     National 
Bank,  285 
Commercial  education,  263 
schools  and  colleges  giving  courses, 
532 
Committees, 
for  reception   of  new   employees, 

294.  346 

for  suggestions,  353 
for  visiting  absentees,  234,  326 
Equitable    Life   Assurance   Co., 
326 
workmen's,  444 
Competition,  for  banner  attendance, 

323 

Comptometer  operator, 
job  analysis,  267 
tests,  287 
Conferences, 

employees'  and  companies*  repre- 
sentatives for  arbitration,  440 
employment  department,  21 
foremen  and  workers,  209 
Connecticut  General  Life  Insurance 

Co.,  health  letters,  551-560 
Continuous  service, 
definition,  360 
General  Electric  Co.,  360 
Contractor's    employee's    identifica- 
tion card,  88 
Figure,  87 
Contracts,  employer  and  employee  in 

housing  plans,  431 
Co-operation, 

employees  and  employment  depart- 
ment, 27,  123 
employer  and  community  in  Ameri- 
canization work,  495 
executives    and    employment    de- 
partment, 22 
foremen  and  employment  depart- 
ment, 24 
public  school  and  factory,  204 
Co-operative  agencies,  127,  128 


Co-operative  stores,  374 

Hood  Rubber  Co.,  350,  499-501 
Cost  of  labor  turnover,  193-196 
Credit  man,  job  analysis,  267 


"Dead  file,"  50 

Democracy    (See  "  Industrial  democ- 
racy") 
Department  stores, 
discharge,  reasons,  341 
employment  department,  organiza- 
tion chart,  Figure,  382 
identification  system,  182 

Figure,  183 
medical  department,  394 
rating  systems  for  sales  clerks,  304 

Figure,  305 
training,    R.    H.    Macy   and   Co., 

534-545 
Departmental  survey,  for  installing 

identification  system,  162 
Discharge,  238-244,  330 

arbitration  boards,  239,  442 
by  foremen,  6 

control  of  by  employment  depart- 
ment, 238,  330 
reasons  for,  82,  241 

Figures,  85,  332 
transfer  of  discharged  men,  219 
Discipline, 

and  transfers,  222,  224 
by  foremen,  239 
Display  advertising,  257 

Mavis  Toilet  Goods,  Figure,  258 
New  York  Telephone  Co.,  Figure, 

259 
Durham  Hosiery  Mills,  women  in  em- 
ployment department,  407 

£ 

Education  (See  "Industrial  train- 
ing") 

Education  department,  National  City 
Bank,  522-533 


5^4 


INDEX 


Efficiency    (See  "  Rating  systems  ") 
Employees'  agreement,  R.  H.  Macy 

and  Co.,  Figure,  275 
Employees'  family,  aid  to  by  medical 
department,  399 

Figure,  400 
Employees'  handbooks,  137,  305 
model,  461-468 

offences  causing  discharge,  242 
Employees,  industrial, 
absence,  76,  231-237 
absence  permit.  Figure,  77 
advertising  for,  1 14-120 

Figure,  117 
application  for  position,  37-50 

Figures,  39,  47»  50,  51-53 
arbitration  boards,  239 
awards    for    recommendation    of 

workers,  123 
conferences  with  foremen,  209 
co-operating  with  employment  de- 
partment, 27,  123 
debts,  taken  over  by  firm,  216 
discharge,  238-244 
discontent  caused  by  shortage  in 

pay,  214 
education,    American    Multigraph 

Co.,  448 
foreign-bom,  134 
group  insurance,  362 
housing,  349,  417-439 
identification,  64,  88,  161-186 

Figures,  65,  87 
limchrooms,  348 
notification  of  vacancies  to  former, 

71 

Figiire,  70 
previously    employed,    source    of 

labor  supply,  124 
promotions,  226-230 
reasons  for  leaving,  record  of,  82 

Figure,  85 
recommendation  of  friends,  71, 122, 
261 

Figure,  70 


Employees,  industrial — Continued 
recreation,  353 
references,  55,  135 

Figure,  56 
requisition  for,  form,  54 

Figure,  52,  53 
securing,  methods,  1 13-129 
selection,  4,  37-53,  130-160 
stock  participation,  363,  365 
suggestions  from,  352 
tests,  ability,  154-160,  280 

Figures,  156,  158-159 
tests,  psychological,  143-153 

Figures,  150- 151,  152,  154 
trained,  lack  of,  201 
training,  201-209 
transfer,  72,  217-225 

request  for,  Figure,  73 
vocational  fitness  card.  Figure,  58 
wages,  210-216 
working  conditions,  347 
Employees,  new, 

employees'  handbooks,  137,  305 
follow-up  of,  296,  346 
foreman's  report,  66 

Figure,  67 
handbooks,  461-468 
identification  pass,  64 

Figure,  65 
information  permit,  55 

Figure,  55 
interviewing,  4,  19,  130,  347 
locations,  Figure,  334 
medical    examinations,    131,    384- 

401 
probation  period,  138,  292 
reception  of,  131,  294,  346 
references,  55,  135,  289 

Figure,  56 
report  on,  Figure,  333 
reporting  for  work  blank,  64 

Figure,  65 
training,  292,  381 
Employees,  office, 
absence,  325-327 


INDEX 


565 


Employees,  office — Continued 
advertising  for,  256-260 

Figure,  257 
application     for     position     form. 

Figure,  51 
arbitration  boards,  440-458 
clubs  and  associations,  370 
interviewing,  268 
job  analysis  by,  no 

Figure,  in 
promotions,  312-322 

record  of.  National  City  Bank, 
Figure,  299 
rating,  R.  H.  Macy  and  Co.,  304 

Figure,  305 
rating.    Metropolitan   Life   Insur- 
ance Co.,  Figures,  316-319 
recreation,  373 
report  on, 

Equitable  Life  Assurance    Co., 
Figure,  303 

National  City  Bank,  Figure,  300 
securing,  methods,  255 
selection,  266-290 
sources  of  labor  supply,  255 
standard  raised  by  tests,  288 
training,  312,  381 

Macy,  R.  H.,  and  Co.,  534-545 
transfer,  306,  322 
transfer,  record  of.  National  City 

Bank,  Figure,  299 
Employees'  representation    (See  also 

*  *  Arbitration  boards ' ' ) 
.American    Multigraph    Co.,    448- 

458 
Bridgeport  Brass  Co.,  446 
Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Co.,  445 
Studebaker  Corporation,  447 
Willys-Overland  Co.,  447 
Employment, 

bad  methods  of,  4,  128 
interviewing  applicants,  4,  37-53, 
'^^  136,  268,  270,  347 

methods  of  securing  workers,  113- 

129,  255-265 


Employment  agencies,  262 
co-operative,  127 
municipal,  127 
private,  126 
union,  127 
Employment  department, 
absence  reduction,  231-237 
advantages  of  centralized  control, 

25,  280 
aid  in  industrial  housing,  427 
branch  offices,  127 
Chase  National    Bank,  285,   298, 
407 

Figures,  252,  286,  302 
co-operation  with, 

employees,  13,  27,  123 

foremen,  24 

management,  13,  22 
discharge  control,  238,  330 
Equitable     Life     Assurance     Co., 

Figure,  303 
forms  for  applicants,  37-53 

Figures,  39,  47,  50,  51-53,  55,  56 
functions,  8-12,  28 

chart  showing,  Figures,  10-12,  29 
humanizing  influence,  4 
industrial  training,  208 
interviewer,  19 

job  specification  and  analysis,  95- 
112 

Figure,  109 
Macy,  R.  H.  and  Co.,  261 

Figures,  274-275 
medical  department,  384-401 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 
248 

Figures,  272-273 
National  City  Bank,  249 

Figures,  299-301 
need  of,  3-7 

occupational  index  card.  Figure,  60 
office  layout,  30 

Figures,  31,  32,  279 
organization,  21 
organization  chart.  Figure,  382 


566 


INDEX 


Employment  department — Continued 
promotion  of  employees,  226-230, 

312-322 
records  of,  30 
requisition  for  employee,  54 

Figures,  52,  53 
selection  and  size  of  staff,  27 
service  work,  industrial  plants,  345- 

366 
service  work,  offices,  367-383 
sources  of  labor  supply,   11 3- 129, 

255-265 
transfer  of  employees,  218 
transfer  of  office  employees,  306 
United    Cigar    Co.,    Figure,   276- 

277 
visiting  the  sick,  234 
vocational  fitness  card.  Figure,  58 
wage  rate  records,  211 
women,  place  in,  402-41 1 
Employment  forms, 
absentees,  76 

Figures,  77,  79.  81,  83 
applications,  38-51 

Figures,  39,  47,  50,  5i»  269,  272, 
274,  276-277,  286 
development  of,  37 
interviews,  request  for,  62 

Figure,  63 
passes,  88 

Figure,  87 
references,  57 

Figures,  55-56 
requisition  for  employees,  54 

Figures,  52-53 
review  blank,  Equitable  Life  As- 
surance Co.,  Figure,  303 
transfer,  72 

Figures,  73,  75 
vocational  fitness,  57 

Figure,  58 
Employment  manager, 

attitude  toward  psychological  tests, 

157 
duties  and  qualifications,  17-20 


Employment  manager — Continued 
job    specification     and     analysis, 

95-112 
responsibility,  16 

Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 

Figure,  251 
National  City  Bank,  249 
status, 
Chase  National  Bank,   Figure, 

252 
Equitable   Life  Assurance   Co., 

Figure,  253 
Guaranty  Trust  Co.,  Figure,  252 
National  City  Bank,  Figure,  252 
training  of  employees,  381 
English  language,  classes,  205,  491 
Equitable  Credit  Union,  376 
Equitable  Life  Assurance  Co., 

employees'  review  blank.  Figure, 

303 

Equitable  credit  union,  376 

honor  certificate  for  punctuality 
and  attendance,  Figure,  325 

medical  examiner's  certificate,  Fig- 
ure, 390 

personnel  director,  status.  Figure, 

253 
Sunshine  committee,  326 
Examinations,  medical    (See  "Medi- 
cal examinations") 
Executive  positions,  blind  advertise- 
ments for,  256 
Figure,  257 
Executives, 

co-operation  with  employment  de- 
partment, 22 
training  for,  229 
women  as,  414 

F 

Favoritism,  in  employment  by  fore- 
men, 6 

Federal  board  for  vocational  educa- 
tion, 195 

File  clerks,  job  analysis,  267 


INDEX 


567 


Firing     (See  ' '  Discharge ' ' ) 

Fisher,  Boyd,  "Good  Housing  as  a 

Reducer  of   Labor   Turnover," 

419 
Foreign-bom, 

Americanization,  491-498 
employment,  125 
housing,  430 

source  of  labor  supply,  125 
Foremen, 

aid  in  transferring,  224 

as  employment  managers,  5 

as  reception  committees  for  new 

employees,  346 
attitude  toward, 

employees,  354 

transfers,  219 

women   employment   managers, 
410 
conferences  with  employees,  209 
conferences  with  employment  man- 
agers, 21 
co-operation      with      employment 

manager,  24 
interviewing  applicants,  136 
job  analysis  by,  96-106 

questionnaire  form.  Figure,  98- 
103 
report  of  absentee,  78,  235 

Figure,  77 
report  of  new  employees,  66 

Figure,  67 


General  Electric  Co.,  continuous  serv- 
ice, rules,  361 

Gilbreth,  F.  B.,  and  L.  M.,  three- 
position  plan  of  promotion,  228 

Good-will,  established  by  fair  treat- 
ment, 240 

Goodyear  Co.,  housing  plan,  431 

Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Co.,  in- 
dustrial representation  plan,  445 

Graphology,  basis  of  selection,  141 

Grievances,  arbitration  of,  239,  440 


Group  insurance  (See  "Insurance, 
group") 

Guaranty  Trust  Co.,  personnel  direc- 
tor, status,  Figure,  252 


Health  and  hygiene,  349 
importance  of,  396 
letters,   Connecticut  General  Life 
Insurance  Co.,  551-560 
Health  department      (See  "Medical 

department") 
Health  letters,  Connecticut  General 

Life  Insiirance  Co.,  551-560 
Help  wanted  advertising,  specimens, 

Figures,  117,  257 
Hiring        (See  "Employment"  and 

**  Labor  turnover") 
Hobert,  M.  O,.,  195 
Honor  system,  for  recording  absence 

and  tardiness,  327 
Hood  Rubber  Co.,  co-operative  store, 

350,  499-501 
Housing     (See  ' '  Industrial  housing ' ' ) 
Huntington,  Mrs.  Janet,  "Survey  of 
Opportunities   in    Factories  for 
the  Executive  and    Technically 
Trained  Woman,"  411 
Hygiene         (See   "Health  and  hy- 
giene") 

I 
Identification, 
badges,   161-186 

Figures,  167,  172,  176,  180-181 
pass,  for  new  employees,  64 

Figure,  65 
systems,  88,  161-186 

Figures,  87,  162,  164-165,  166, 
169,  172,  173,  176,  178,  180, 
181,  183,  185 
department  stores,  182 
photograph,  175,  185 
signatures,  179,  185 
Ill-health,  cost  of,  397 
Industrial  democracy,  440-458 


568 


INDEX 


Industrial  housing,  349,  417-439 
contracts,  employer  and  employee, 

431 

factors  of,  summary,  Figure,  436- 

437 
Goodyear  Co.,  431 
In  iustrial  hygiene    (See  *  *  Health  and 

hygiene") 
Industrial  training,  381,  469-490 
co-operation  with  public   schools, 

204 
department,  organization,  203,  207 
function    of    employment    depart- 
ment, 208 
instructors,  qualifications,  207 
Macy,  R.  H.,  and  Co.,  534-545 
methods,  203 
Metropolitan  Life  Insiirance  Co., 

546 
need  of,  200 
systems,  471-490 
Information  permit.  Figure,  55 
Insurance,  group,  362,  378 
^^Jnterviews, 

employment    manager    as    inter- 
viewer, 19 
foremen  as  interviewers,  136 
new  employees,  4,  37-53,  136,  268, 

270,  347 
office  employees,  268 
questions,  132 
record  of.  Figure,  335 
report   on,    National   City   Bank, 
Figure,  301 
J  request  for,  Figure,  63 
/       prospective  employees,  68 
/  Figure,  69 

\    returned  absentees,  235 
y  sheet  for,  Figure,  269 

xsvomen  as  interviewers,  271 
Introduction  committees,  346 


Jeffrey  Manufacturing  Co.,  visiting 
nurses,  507 


Job  specification  and  analysis. 
Figures,  98-103,  107,  109,  iii 
accountant,  267 
auditor,  267 
by  foremen,  questionnaire  form  for, 

97 

Figure,  98-103 
comptometer  operator,  268 
credit  man,  267 
file  clerk,  267 
method  of,  95  — — "^ 
office  positions,  no,  266 
questionnaire  form  for,  97 

Figure,  98-103 
statistical  clerk,  268 
stenographer,  268 
symbols,  104 

use  in  relative  wage  scale,  211 
value  to  workmen,  108 
Judgment  test,  149 

Figure,  152 

K 

Kelly,      "Training  the      Industrial 

Worker,"  209 
Kemble,  William  F.,  155 
Knights  of  Columbus,   co-operation 

with    employment    department, 

122 


Labor  supply, 

advertising  for,  1 14-122,  256-260 
solicitation  of,  122-126 
sources,  1 13-129,  255-265 

Labor  turnover,  189-199 
among  negroes,  421 
causes,  190 
cost,  193-196,  224 
form  for  recording,  91 

Figure,  90,  91 
formula  fpr  calculating,  191 
percentage  charts,  Figure,  198 
plant  simimary,  Figure,  91         ] 
reduction,  193  J 


INDEX 


569 


Labor  turnover — Continued 
reduction  by  transfer,  307 
relation  of  housing  to,  419 
resignations,  reasons,  243 
stability  chart,  Figure,  197 
La  Marche,  Melville,  chart  showing 
functions  of  employment  depart- 
ment. Figure,  29 
Lateness     (See  "Tardiness") 
Leave  of  absence,  permit,  76 

Figure,  77 
Length-of -service  bonuses,  .  59 
Libraries,  plant,  208 
"Live  file,"  50 
Loyalty,  created  by  meetings  of  em' 

ployees  and  employers,  375 
Lunchrooms,  348 


Macy,  R.  H.,  and  Co., 

application  for  employment.  Fig- 
ure, 274 

employees'  agreement,  Figure,  275 

employment  department,  261 

mentality  tests,  287 

rating  systems,  304 
Figure,  305 

reception  committee,  294 

sales  clerks'  rating  card,  304 
Figure,  305 

training  of  employees,  534-545 

transfer  data,  charts,  308 
Figure,  309 
Mangnusson,  Leifur,  421 
Marshall,  L.  C,  Director  of  Industrial 
Relations,     "To    Presidents    of 
shipyards  and  auxiliary  plants," 
16 
Mavis  toilet  goods,  display  advertis- 
ing. Figure,  258 
Medical  department,  384-401 

aid  to  employees'  families,  399 
Figure,  400 

benefits,  384 

functions,  385 


Medical  department — Continued 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 

548-550 
report  to  employment  department, 
Figure,  392 
Medical  examinations,  131,  385 
certificates.  Figures,  386-390 
record   of,    National   City    Bank, 
Figure,  299 
Meetings, 

of  arbitration  boards,  442 
of  employees,  374 
Mental  tests       (See  "Psychological 

tests") 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 
application    for   position.    Figure, 

272-273 
lunchroom,  369 

medical  department,  398,  548-550 
Mount     McGregor     Tuberculosis 
Sanatarium,  376 
l^Ilfirsonnel  director,  status,  Figure, 

psychological  tests,  284 

rating  system,  316-319 

salary  slip.  Figure,  320 

service  work,  368 

staff  savings  fund,  376 

training  employees,  546 

welfare  activities,  248 

"welfare  work,"  284 
Moimt  McGregor  Tuberculosis  Sana- 
tarium, 376 
Mulhauser,  A.,  "Principles  of  Labor 

Turnover,"  189 
Mimicipal  employment  agencies,  127 
Mutual  aid  associations,  377 

N 
National  Cash  Raster  Co.,  sugges- 
tions, 353,  508-512 
National  City  Bank, 

City  Bank  Club,  370,  524 
educational  department,  522-533 
employees,  follow-up,  298 


5?o 


INDEX 


National  City  Bank — Continued 
employment  department,  249 

Figures,  299-301 
interviewer,  271 

medical  examiner's  certificate,  Fig- 
ure, 386 
personnel  director,  status.  Figure, 
252 
Negroes,  housing,  421 
Newspapers,  as  advertising  medium, 

114 
New  York  Telephone  Co.,  display  ad- 
vertising, Figure,  259 
New   York    University,    commercial 

education,  263 
Numerals,  use  in  identification  sys- 
tems, 161 
Nurses,  visiting,  352,  502-507 
American  Brass  Co.,  505 
Cleveland  Hardware  Co.,  402 
Colorado  Fuel  and  Iron  Co.,  503 
Jeffrey  Manufacturing  Co.,  507 
Witherbee,     Sherman     and     Co., 
506 
Ny Strom,   Paul  H.,   "Economics  of 
Retailing,"  264 


Occupational  examinations,  284 
Occupational  index, 
card,  60 

Figure,  60 
Office  employees     (See  "Employees, 

office") 
Offices,  employment  department,  30 

Figures,  31,  32,  279 


Pass,  employee's,  88 

Figure,  87 
Pay-roll,   use  in  determining  labor 

turnover,  192 
Penalties  for  tardiness,  214 


Person,  Harlow  S.,  "Dartmouth  Col- 
lege Bulletin,"  19 
Personnel, 
department       (See  "Employment 

department") 
director    (See  "Employment  man- 
ager") 
employment  department,  27 
Photographic  records,  employees,  184 

Figure,  176 
Physical  examinations     (See  "Medi- 
cal examinations") 
Piecework,  wage  rates,  211,  213 
Plant  newspapers,  352 
Play     (See  "Recreation") 
Posters,  352 

as  advertising  medium,  122 
Preliminary  interview,  value,  270 
Probation    period,    new    employees, 

138,  292 
Production  bonuses,  360 
Production  decreased  by  inadequate 

housing,  419 
Profit-sharing,  358,  380 
Progressive    record,    National    City 

Bank,  Figure,  299 
Promotions,  226-230,  312-322 
■     charts  showing  lines  of,  227 
from  within,  230 
methods,  226 
plan  for,  315 
record   of.    National   City    Bank, 

Figure,  299 
standardization,  228 
three-position  plan,  228 
understudy  system,  229,  315 
Psychological    tests,    143,    153,  283, 
287 
Figures,  150-151,  152,  I54 
attention  tests,  149 
judgment,  149 
Figure,  152 
tests  for  vocations,  146 
Trabue  completion  scale,  148 
Figure,  1 50-1 51 


INDEX 


571 


Questionnaire,  for  job  analysis,  97 

Figure,  98-103 
Quinby,  Dr.  R.  S.,  499 

R 

Rating  systems, 

department  stores,  304 

Figure,  305 
forms  for  recording,Figures,3i6-3i9 
Macy,  R.  H.,  and  Co.,  304 
Figure,  305 
Reception  committees, 
duties,  294 

report  of,  Figure,  296 
Recommendation     of    friends,     em- 
ployees, 71,  122,  261 
Figure,  70 
Records  of  employees, 

absentee's.  Figures,  77,  79,  81,  83, 

335 
applications,  37-54,  268 

Figures,  39,  47,  50-51,  67,  269, 
272-277,  287 
attendance,  327 

Figure,  329-330 
daily  report,  Figure,  333 
foremen's  report.  Figure,  67 
identification,  Figures,  65,  87 
interviews.  Figures,  63,  269,  335 
labor  turnover,  Figures,  90-91,  197- 

198 
location.  Figure,  334 
personnel  report.  Figures,  300-303 
rating.  Figures,  305,  316-319 

change  of.  Figure,  75 
recommendations,  Figures,  70 
references.  Figures,  55,  56,  70 
resignations.  Figures,  85,  332,  336 
statistics  sheets.  Figures,  338-340 
transfers.  Figures,  73,  75,  299,  309, 

335 
vocational  fitness,  Figiu-e,  58 
wages,  85,  87 

Figures,  83,  87,  304,  320-321,  337 


Records  of  employment  department, 
30 

Recreation,  353,  373 

Re-employment,  124 
United  Cigar  Stores,  264 

References,  employees,  55,  135,  289 
Figure,  56 

Reinstatement       (See  "Re-employ- 
ment") 

Relief  funds     (See  "Benefit  associa- 
tions") 

Requisition  for  employees,  54 
Figures,  52,  53 

Resignations,  reasons  for,  82,  243 
Figures,  85,  332,  336 
use  in  reduction  of  labor  turnover, 

243 

Restaurants     (See  "Lunchrooms") 
Rewards  (See  "Awards,"  "Bonuses") 
Rules, 

furnished  to  new  employees,  137, 

241,  305,  461-468 
violation  of,  cause  of  discharge,  241 
Rural  districts,  source  of  labor  sup- 
ply, 125 

S 

Safety,  349 

Salary     (See  "Wages") 
Sales  clerks,  rating  card,  R.  H.  Macy 
and  Co.,  304 
Figure,  305 
Sanatariums,  375 
Savings, 
aids  to,  366 
funds,  376 

Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 
376 
Schools,  sources  of  labor  supply,  263 
Scouting,  source  of  labor  supply,  125 
Selection  of  employees,  4,  37-53,  130- 

138,  139-160 
Service  pensions,  362 
Service  work, 
housing,  423 


572 


INDEX 


Service  work — Continued 
industrial  plants,  345-366 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 

368 
offices,  367-383 
Signature  slips,  184 
Figure,  185 
use  in  identification  of  employees, 
184 
Slichter,  S.  H.,  "Turnover  of  Factory 

Labor,"  194 
Social  committees,  353 
Solicitation  of  workers,  122-126 
Specialization,  age  of,  3 
Staff  savings  fund.  Metropolitan  Life 

Insurance  Co.,  376 
Standard  Oil  Co., 
annuities,  362 
arbitration  board,  442 
benefit  associations,  513-521 
Statistical  clerk,  job  analysis,  268 
Stenographer, 
ability  tests,  285 
job  analysis,  268 
Stock  participation  plan,  363,  365 
Stores, 
co-operative,  350,  374 

Hood  Rubber  Co.,  499-501 
Studebaker  Corporation,   employees 

representation,  447 
Suggestions, 
awards  for,  353 

National  Cash  Register  Co.,  353, 
508-512 
Sunshine  Committee,  Equitable  Life 

Assurance  Co.,  326 
Surveys, 

departmental,  for  installing  identi- 
fication systems,  162 
women  in  industry,  412 
Symbols,  job  specifications,  104 


Tardiness — Continued 
reduction,  231,  235,  362 
reminder   to    employees,    Figure, 
326 
Tests   (See  ' '  Ability  tests, "  "  Psycho- 
logical tests") 
Three-position  planf  or  promotion,  228 
Thumb-prints,   use  in  identification 

systems,  175 
Time  clocks,  348 
Tipper,  "Advertising  Its  Principles 

and  Practice,"  118 
Tool-maker,  job  analysis, 

Figures,  107,  109 
Trabue  completion  scale,  148 

Figure,  150- 151 
Trade  tests     (See  ' '  Ability  tests ' ' ) 
Training    (See  ' '  Industrial  training ' ' ) 
Transfers,  72,  217-225,  306-322 
advantages,  218 

charts  showing  R.  H.  Macy  and 
Co.,  308 
Figure,  309 
conserving  ability  by,  217 
foremen's  attitude,  219 
labor  turnover,  reduction  by,  224, 

307 

methods  of,  222 

need  of,  217 

notification  of,  72,  74 
Figure,  73,  75 

objections,  220,  306 

recording  forms,  49,  72 
Figures,  73,  75,  335 
National  City  Bank,  Figure,  299 

regarded  as  discharges,  219 

United  Cigar  Co.,  307 
Transportation  problem,  350 

solving,  methods,  351 
Turnover,  labor     (See  "Labor  turn- 
over") 


Tardiness, 
recording  forms,  Figures,  328-329 


Understudy,   method  of  promotion, 
229,  315 


INDEX 


573 


Union  employment  agencies,  127 

United  Cigar  Co., 
application  and  emplojrment  agree- 
ment, Figure,  276-277 
employment  department,  264 
transfer  system,  307 

United  Railways  and  Electric  Co., 
physician's  certificate.  Figure, 
388-389 

United  States  Army  trade  tests,  155 
Figure,  156 

United  States  Department  of  Labor, 
"Successful  Apprentice  Tool- 
makers'  School,"  485 

United  States  Department  of  Labor's 
training  service,  207 

United  States  Shipping  Board,  Emer- 
gency Fleet  Corporation, "  Hand- 
book on  Employment  Manage- 
ment, 22" 


Vacancy,  notification  of,  62 
Figure,  63 
to  former  employees,  71 
Figure,  70 

Vacations  for  pimctuality  and  attend- 
ance, 237,  324 

Visiting  committees,  234 

Equitable  Life  Assurance  Co.,  326 

Visiting  nurses    (See  "Nurses,  visit- 
ing") 

Visitor's  pass,  89 
Figure,  89 

Vocational  fitness  card,  59 
Figure,  58 


W 


Wages,  210-216 
adjustment,  211 


Wages — Continued 
advance  against,  86,  215 

Figure,  87 
importance  of,  210 
in  advertisements  for  workers,  116 
increase,  211,  226,  312 
increase,  record  of. 
Figure,  337 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co., 
Figure,  320-321 
penalties  for  tardiness,  214 
piece  rates,  211 
rates,  reduction,  213 
relation  of  labor  turnover,  210 
settlement  with  employees,  leaving, 
84 
Figure,  85 
shortages,  214 
Willys-Overland  Co.,  employees'  rep- 
resentation, 447 
Witherbee,  Sherman  and  Co.,  visiting 

nurses,  506 
Women, 
as  employment  managers,  402-41 1 
as  executives,  404-41 1 
as  interviewers,  271 
executive  positions  held  by,  414 
in  industry,  statistics,  412 
Working  conditions,  347 
Workmen's  committees,  444 
Wyman,  A.  H.,  on  Americanization 
of  aliens,  491 


Yawman  and  Erbe  Co.,  employment 
department,  office  layout,  Fig- 
ure, 31,  32 
Y.  M.  C.  A., 

Americanization  work,  492 
co-operation  with  employment  de- 
partment, 122 


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